haha

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more chuck norris jokes! from WWW.CHUCKNORRISFACTS.COM

# When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.

# Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.

# There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.

# Outer space exists because it's afraid to be on the same planet with Chuck Norris.

# Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

#

Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names f

or his left and right legs.
# Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.

# Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.

# There is no chin behind Chuck Norris’ beard. There is only another fist.

# When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he isn’t lifting himself up, he’s pushing the Earth down.

# Chuck Norris is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.

# Chuck Norris’ hand is the only hand that can beat a Royal Flush.

# Chuck Norris can lead a horse to water AND make it drink.

# Chuck Norris doesn’t wear a watch, HE decides what time it is.

# Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door.

# Chuck Norris does not get frostbite. Chuck Norris bites frost

# Remember the Soviet Union? They decided to quit after watching a DeltaForce marathon on Satellite TV.

# Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.

# When Chuck Norris calls 1-900 numbers, he doesnt get charged. He holds up the phone and money falls out.

# Chuck Norris once ate a whole cake before his friends could tell him there was a stripper in it.

# Some people like to eat frogs' legs. Chuck Norris likes to eat lizard legs. Hence, snakes.

# There are no races, only countries of people Chuck Norris has beaten to different shades of black and blue.

# When Chuck Norris was denied an Egg McMuffin at McDonald's because it was 10:35, he roundhouse kicked the store so hard it became a Wendy's.

# Chuck Norris can't finish a "color by numbers" because his markers are filled with the blood of his victims. Unfortunately, all blood is dark red.

# A Chuck Norris-delivered Roundhouse Kick is the preferred method of execution in 16 states.

# When Chuck Norris falls in water, Chuck Norris doesn't get wet. Water gets Chuck Norris.

# Scientists have estimated that the energy given off during the Big Bang is roughly equal to 1CNRhK (Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick)

# Chuck Norris’ house has no doors, only walls that he walks through.

# How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could Chuck Norris? ...All of it.

# Chuck Norris doesn't actually write books, the words assemble themselves out of fear.

# In honor of Chuck Norris, all McDonald's in Texas have an even larger size than the super-size. When ordering, just ask to be Chucksized.

# Chuck Norris CAN believe it's not butter.

# If tapped, a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick could power the country of Australia for 44 minutes.

# Chuck Norris can divide by zero.

# The grass is always greener on the other side, unless Chuck Norris has been there. In that case the grass is most likely soaked in blood and tears.

# A picture is worth a thousand words. A Chuck Norris is worth 1 billion words.

# Newton's Third Law is wrong: Although it states that for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, there is no force equal in reaction to a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick.

# Chuck Norris invented his own type of karate. It's called Chuck-Will-Kill.

# When an episode of Walker Texas Ranger was aired in France, the French surrendered to Chuck Norris just to be on the safe side.

# While urinating, Chuck Norris is easily capable of welding titanium.

# Chuck Norris once sued the Houghton-Mifflin textbook company when it became apparent that their account of the war of 1812 was plagiarized from his autobiography.

# When Chuck Norris talks, everybody listens. And dies.

# When Steven Seagal kills a ninja, he only takes its hide. When Chuck Norris kills a ninja, he uses every part.

# Contrary to popular belief, there is indeed enough Chuck Norris to go around.

# Chuck Norris doesnt shave; he kicks himself in the face. The only thing that can cut Chuck Norris is Chuck Norris.

# For some, the left testicle is larger than the right one. For Chuck Norris, each testicle is larger than the other one.

# Chuck Norris always knows the EXACT location of Carmen SanDiego.

# When taking the SAT, write "Chuck Norris" for every answer. You will score over 8000.

# Chuck Norris invented black. In fact, he invented the entire spectrum of visible light. Except pink. Tom Cruise invented pink.

# When you're Chuck Norris, anything + anything is equal to 1. One roundhouse kick to the face.

# Chuck Norris has the greatest Poker-Face of all time. He won the 1983 World Series of Poker, despite holding only a Joker, a Get out of Jail Free Monopoloy card, a 2 of clubs, 7 of spades and a green #4 card from the game UNO.

# On his birthday, Chuck Norris randomly selects one lucky child to be thrown into the sun.

# Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee. Except Chuck Norris.

# Chuck Norris doesn't throw up if he drinks too much. Chuck Norris throws down!

# In the beginning there was nothing...then Chuck Norris Roundhouse kicked that nothing in the face and said "Get a job". That is the story of the universe.

# Chuck Norris has 12 moons. One of those moons is the Earth.

# Chuck Norris grinds his coffee with his teeth and boils the water with his own rage.

# Archeologists unearthed an old english dictionary dating back to the year 1236. It defined "victim" as "one who has encountered Chuck Norris"

# Chuck Norris ordered a Big Mac at Burger King, and got one.

# Chuck Norris and Mr. T walked into a bar. The bar was instantly destroyed, as that level of awesome cannot be contained in one building.

# If you Google search "Chuck Norris getting his ass kicked" you will generate zero results. It just doesn't happen.

# Chuck Norris can drink an entire gallon of milk in thirty-seven seconds.

# Little known medical fact: Chuck Norris invented the Caesarean section when he roundhouse-kicked his way out of his monther's womb.

# Chuck Norris doesn't bowl strikes, he just knocks down one pin and the other nine faint.

# The show Survivor had the original premise of putting people on an island with Chuck Norris. There were no survivors, and nobody is brave enough to go to the island to retrieve the footage.

# It takes Chuck Norris 20 minutes to watch 60 Minutes.

# You know how they say if you die in your dream then you will die in real life? In actuality, if you dream of death then Chuck Norris will find you and kill you.

# Chuck Norris has a deep and abiding respect for human life... unless it gets in his way.

# The Bermuda Triangle used to be the Bermuda Square, until Chuck Norris Roundhouse kicked one of the corners off.

# There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Oklahoma.

# Chuck Norris doesn't believe in Germany.

# When Chuck Norris is in a crowded area, he doesn't walk around people. He walks through them.

# Chuck Norris once ate an entire bottle of sleeping pills. They made him blink.

# James Cameron wanted Chuck Norris to play the Terminator. However, upon reflection, he realized that would have turned his movie into a documentary, so he went with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

# Chuck Norris can touch MC Hammer.

# Thousands of years ago Chuck Norris came across a bear. It was so terrified that it fled north into the arctic. It was also so terrified that all of its decendents now have white hair.

# Chuck Norris played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and won.

# It takes 14 puppeteers to make Chuck Norris smile, but only 2 to make him destroy an orphanage.

Kobe Bryant jumps over Aston Martin

Junk Food Alternatives That Don't Suck | Weigh The FAQS

Every dieter knows that junk food is bad for them. They call it junk food because it’s full of all the things people should avoid (namely: trans fats, high refined sugar, empty calories), and lacking of all the things people need (namely: vitamins, fiber, actual nutrients). And yet, around a third of the calories most American adults eat are from junk food. Instead of swearing off junk food altogether, here are some tips to get the same craving-filling taste with actual nutritional value.

FRENCH FRIES
The salt. The oil. The starch. For many people the french fry is the ultimate in junk-food comfort. Unfortunately, most french fries are loaded with trans fats and almost no nutritional value. In fact, the high starch can play havoc with blood sugar levels and make you feel worse after eating them. To fix the high-fat, high salt craving and actually get some nutrients in, pick a vegetable-based side-dish at restaurants instead. Creamed spinach or buttered broccoli aren’t great, but they aren’t as bad. If you want to do even better yet, a side salad with a salty vinegarette and some cheese should also hit that fat and salty fix. If you simply must have something crunchy and fry-shaped, at home make your own sweet potato fries by coating sliced sweet potato with egg whites and your favorite salty seasoning and then baking them in the oven. Sweet potatoes (and yams too) are much lower on the glycemic index than regular potatoes, which translates to being much better eats for you.

DONUTS
The ultimate office and road trip treat, donuts combine a fried fix with sweet sugar. They also happen to be one of the most useless foods people can consume, and worse, are loaded with hydrogenated fat. To resist the donuts in the break room or sitting in the case at your favorite coffee place, go for a bran muffin instead to get the same sugar fix. Watch the portions though — most large muffins are at least twice as big as they need to be. And if you absolutely can’t resist, settle for enjoying a single donut hole.

CHIPS
There is a reason why they say you can’t eat just one chip. This crispy salty trans-fat loaded starchy treat is very hard to give up once you’ve started eating them. You’re best bet? Don’t start. Reach for fat-free popcorn or nuts to get that salty, eat by the handful sensation. Avoid vending machines where they are sold, and when buying your sandwich, opt for healthier side items like apple slices or a side salad. If you have to have some, buy a small individual sized bag and share with friends — and better yet, eat the baked variety. However, keep in mind that when you’re craving salty foods, you just may be dehydrated. When people are dehydrated they crave salt. You might opt to drink an electrolyte-enhanced water instead.

ICE CREAM
You scream. I scream. Your body screams. Ice cream is loaded with fat and sugar, things that your body doesn’t need. Ice cream is an easy dessert to keep in the house, or to get while out walking, or at a restaurant. In fact, ice cream seems to be available everywhere. But whether it’s the sweet, the creamy, or the cold you are craving, there are healthier alternatives. All-natural frozen yogurt is a good substitute, or even better - frozen grapes or berries. And for those times when nothing but pure milk and sugar will do, go for high quality, all-natural ice-cream for your indulgence. But make it a once in a blue moon treat rather than a daily occurrence.

CANDY BARS
Candy bars may seem like a good mid-afternoon snack (the advertisers certainly seem to think so) but nothing could be further from the truth. The high sugar and fat content of most candy bars will give your body a quick sugar rush, and then a sugar fall-out. If it’s an afternoon pick-me-up you’re looking for, yogurt or a handful of nuts would be better. If it’s the chocolate itself that you are craving, go for it, so long as it’s a nice dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher). If it’s the sweet, a piece of fruit is better for you. Better yet, some dark chocolate and some berries combine for a decadent, good-for-you treat.

SODA
Your parents might have told you that soda will rot your teeth. They weren’t that far off from the truth. The chemicals found in most soda pop drinks, in higher concentrations, can rot a lot more than your teeth. They are all almost pure chemicals and refined sugars without a single redeeming calorie in the mix. If you’re looking for a caffeine fix, natural iced-teas are a much better choice. In fact, many teas, like green tea, have anti-oxidants and other good-for-you properties. If it’s the sweet you need, try adding a lemon or orange slice to your water. And if you need the carbonation, go for soda water, and either mix with your tea or some raspberries. And as for diet sodas? Those aren’t any healthier for you (even if lower calorie) and in fact have been linked to a decreased ability to lose weight. It’s better to just give up the pop. If you absolutely must have one, have JUST one, and pick one with actual sugar in it (like Hansens) instead of the chemical compounds found in most pops.

PIZZA
Pizza has become a default meal in America and it’s easy to see why. Greasy cheesy goodness over starchy crust loaded up with a variety of toppings spell one word and one word only: Y-U-M. (Can you tell this is my hardest junk food to avoid??) And there are so many kinds nowadays with gourmet toppers like artichokes, BBQ chicken, and a plethora of exotic cheeses. Keep the veggies, keep the healthier of the meats, and even a small amount of the exotic cheeses—and put them over salad instead of the empty-calorie crust. If it’s the melted cheese you’re really craving, have a chicken breast with marinara and provolone melted over it. Eggplant works too. In fact, that’s what we had for dinner last night when we were desperately craving pizza.

While most people can’t always eat completely healthy all the time, putting some nutrition into junk food can help. Find better alternatives for your cravings. And when you do indulge, make it few and far between, and, as with anything, watch your portions. Of course, I’d love what all of you have to say about this too. What’s your healthy junk food alternative?

Junk Food Alternatives That Don't Suck | Weigh The FAQS

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Venezuela says "The Simpsons" bad for kids, "Baywatch" okay - ParentDish

Venezuela says "The Simpsons" bad for kids, "Baywatch" okay

Posted Apr 10th 2008 2:03PM by Sandy Maple
Filed under: Television, In the News

If you had to choose between letting your child watch The Simpsons or Baywatch, would one would you pick? An informal survey of five of my friends shows that The Simpsons would be favored, mostly due to the lack of sex in the storylines. Bart may be a trouble maker, but at least he keeps his clothes on.

In Venezuela, parents of television-watching kids weren't really given a choice. Conatel, Venezuela's broadcasting regulator, yanked The Simpsons off the air because they feared that Bart, Homer and the rest of the gang might be a bad influence on the children. I can kind of see their point, but the fact that they filled that time slot with Baywatch Hawaii reruns has some people scratching their heads.

That the Venezuelan government would replace a silly, dysfunctional cartoon family with sexed up, bikini clad babes doesn't really surprise me. Years ago, my husband and I visited his hometown of Caracas, Venezuela and the second thing I noticed (after the extreme and obvious poverty) was the proliferation of sexy billboard advertising. Everywhere I looked, I saw larger than life pictures of scantily clad women in suggestive poses selling everything from accounting services to toothpaste.

Conatel isn't saying specifically what was so offensive about The Simpsons, but says that the National Telecommunications Commission had received complaints from viewers. The complaints prompted concerns that airing the animated show during the morning hours might violate national regulations prohibiting "messages that go against the whole education of boys, girls and adolescents." I guess they know what they are doing - so far, nobody has complained about swapping Bart for breasts.

Venezuela says "The Simpsons" bad for kids, "Baywatch" okay - ParentDish

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Women & Work

Women & Work

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Stress Management

There’s not an easy solution to deal with the problem of stress. Stress is encountered in almost every aspect of our lives. Like successful weight management, in order to achieve stress reduction we must weave the solution into the fabric of our lives. Through regular practice of stress reduction techniques, symptoms of stress decrease and become more manageable.

For the most part, stress is largely under your control. You may not be able to control the situation, however, your reaction in any given situation is entirely under your control. One way to monitor and understand stress in your life is to record your feelings in a diary. Once you gain better awareness of the things that cause you stress, you can then build an action plan to positively manage it by creating some positive goals to help reduce the amount of stress in your daily life.

Relaxation: Stress Management Techniques

For the next few moments... stop doing... just sit. Become aware of your breath. Focus on the subtle ebb and flow as you breath in, and breath out, and breath in, and breath out, and breath in, and breath out...

You have just experienced a relaxing, albeit brief, time-out. When practiced throughout the day, this breathing exercise can reduce your stress level significantly! There are a variety of stress management techniques that will help decrease the amount of anxiety you experience in your life. My list is not all inclusive, but it’s a good start. I suggest you experiment with a wide variety of techniques to find the ones that work best for you. Once you find some effective techniques, practice them regularly to weave them into the fabric of your daily life.

Deep breathing. The exercise like the one explained above can give you some immediate relief from a stressful situation. Focus on slowing your heart rate down by breathing in deeply and slowly, then exhaling slowly and completely. Repeat the inhale/exhale cycle at least five times and you should notice a decrease in your heart rate and anxiety level.

Quiet time. Taking some quite time for yourself can often reduce stress. Find a place at home and at work where you can get away from everyone and take a few minutes for yourself. You can practice any relaxation technique or simply spend the time thinking through a problematic situation. Use the time to do whatever will help you to relax.

Relaxation media. There is a variety of relaxation media on the market in the form of cassettes, CD’s, videos and even computer software. These products can provide you with multiple forms of stress management techniques, step-by-step instruction, soothing music and more.

Visualization. Mental visualization is a powerful technique. While it can be implemented in almost any situation, visualization has gained notoriety in it’s successful practice by competitive athletes. The basic technique of visualization is to put yourself in a relaxed position, breathe deeply and rhythmically and close your eyes. Then, in detail, imagine in your mind’s eye a peaceful place or any surroundings that are pleasant and claming to you. While imagining this place, focus on breathing deeply and releasing tension from your entire body.

Visualization can also be used to play out a situation from the beginning to its positive end. This is one of the variations used by competitive athletes. In your mind’s eye, you imagine in detail, the chain of events and the actions you will perform to attain a positive end result. During this process, focus on breathing deeply, releasing tension from your body and approaching every action in a calm and confident manner.

Yoga. The word yoga comes from Sanskrit language meaning union and is believed to be at least 6000 years old, originating in India. Yoga combines dynamic physical exercise with a lifestyle philosophy. There are many forms of yoga but the goal is always the same, perfect self knowledge. More specifically, the ultimate goal of yoga philosophy is complete detachment from reality, as we understand it, and complete self knowledge. By separating our "self" from the environment we are able to come to terms with our individual personality and start putting our mind and emotions in order. If you would like to experiment with yoga as a stress management tool, check out some books at the library to learn more or rent a beginner’s yoga video tape. There are alot of good exercise video’s available on yoga that would be worth experimenting with.

Meditation. Meditation is meant to bring about awareness, nothing else. It’s a time to connect to your inner “source” and let go of the issues, responsibilities and situations that bind your life. The benefits of mediation are uniquely individual, but both physiological and psychological balancing is common. To get you started, here is an explanation of how to practice classic and simple meditation:

The Mantra: A mantra is a sound, word, or phrase that is repeated to yourself out loud or silently. The purpose of the mantra is to discard your normal thoughts and focus your awareness inward. You can select anything as your mantra from a single word to religious scripture, anything that is meditative for you. For this exercise, we will use a natural mantra “hamsa,” being the natural sound one makes when breathing... “ham” (h-ah-m) on inhalation and “sa” (s-ah) on exhalation.

The Hamsa Meditation:

• Sit comfortably;, back straight, shoulders relaxed with your arms by your side or resting in your lap. Select a quiet place if possible, but it’s not required.

• Close your eyes and breath naturally. Sit for a minute before you begin thinking the mantra to allow your heart and breathing to slow.

• Gently focus your attention on your breath and begin thinking the mantra, slowly and rhythmically, matching the mantra with your breath... (h-ah-m) on inhalation and (s-ah) on exhalation. Allow yourself to become absorbed in it.

• Let your thoughts and feelings come and go without concern. Don't try to control them in any way, simply note them. When you realize you’re not repeating the mantra, re-focus your attention on your breath and begin thinking the mantra again. Don’t try to force yourself to think the mantra to the exclusion of all other thoughts.

• Meditate for at least 10 minutes, preferably 20 minutes. When done, take about a minute to slowly return to normal awareness. (It’s okay to glance at a clock to time your meditation, however, I suggest you don't use any kind of alarm timer.)

• Gently open your eyes and slowly move to your feet. Be careful not to get up too quickly after meditating, you may experience some dizziness after a deep state of rest.

• You may or may not experience a deep state of relaxation and rest your first time meditating. As with many relaxation techniques, meditation takes practice to reap all the benefits. Don’t get discouraged, just stay with it.

Exercise. Exercise is an excellent means of releasing tension from your body and inducing a relaxation response. You’ve been practicing this technique for many weeks now. Among the other benefits physical activity brings, have you experienced a reduction in stress?

Stretching. Stress makes your muscles tense up and can cause headaches, a stiff neck, sore shoulders and a knotted back. Full body stretching will help your muscles relax and help you to breath deeper. Always remember to hold stretches for a minimum of ten seconds and concentrate on elongating the muscle slowly and rhythmically. Don’t bounce! When you don’t have the time to stretch your entire body, try these simple upper body stretching exercises to release tension. They can be easily done in a chair anywhere; at home, at the office, traveling in a car, bus or on plane:

• Neck. Sit comfortably with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Tilt your head to the left as though you are trying to touch your left ear to your shoulder. Feel the stretch on the right side of your neck. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds. Be sure not to let your shoulders raise up, keep them down and relaxed. Now, slowly move your head to the right, repeating the exercise to stretch the left side of your neck. Last, slowly roll your head down, bowing your head and try to touch your chin to your chest. Feel the stretch down the back of your neck. Hold this position for 10 seconds. A word of caution: Do not tilt your head back in an attempt to stretch the front of your neck, this position hyperextends the neck and can cause physical harm.

• Shoulders. Sit comfortably with your back straight, your shoulders relaxed and your arms at your sides. Slowly begin rolling your shoulders in a circular, backward motion. Keep the movement isolated to your shoulders and keep your arms relaxed and limp. Roll your shoulders back ten times then begin rolling them forward ten times. Make the largest circles you can and feel the full range of motion as your shoulders move.

  Next, shrug your shoulders up as though you were trying to touch them to your ears, then bring them down as though your were pressing them to the ground. Repeat this up and down shrugging ten times.

• Back. Sit comfortably with your back straight, your shoulders relaxed and your arms at your sides. Slowly rotate your torso and head as though you were looking over your left shoulder. Rotate as far around as you comfortably can and hold the stretch for ten seconds. Slowly bring your torso and head back to center position and rotate to your right side. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds.

  Next, sit comfortably with your back straight, your shoulders relaxed and cross your arms in front of your chest. Now bring your crossed arms up to a 90 degree angle, perpendicular to your body and hold them there. Slowly begin rounding your back, making your chest concave. Stretch your arms away from your back as though a sting was tied around your arms pulling them forward and another string attached to your back was pulling it backwards. Hold the stretch for ten seconds.

  Lastly, sit comfortably with your back straight, your shoulders relaxed and your arms at your side. Slowly begin leaning forward until you are resting your chest in your lap. Allow your arms to relax and gently fall to the floor and bow your head over your knees. Feel the stretch across your back as you let your body go limp. Hold this stretch for ten seconds.

Give yourself reminders. Part of the problem with some of these techniques is simply remembering to practice them. At home, at work, or in the car you may want to put up little reminders to practice a technique. For example, purchase some labels that are small round colored dots. Put them in various places in your home, car or work area. Whenever you see one of these colored dots, practice deep breathing. Or, remind yourself with sticky notes, an on-screen computer message that pops up at various intervals during the day, schedule it in your daily appointment book, etc. Just be inventive in finding things that will remind you to take some time to de-stress.

“Is this worth the stress?” Often we become involved in situations that simply aren’t worth the stress that they cause. Ask yourself this question occasionally, and if the answer is “No,” move on.

Be aware of situations you can’t control. Have the wisdom to realize when you’re in a situation you can’t control, then accept it. Don’t waste your time trying to change it. Instead, focus on reacting to the situation in a stress-free manner.

Don’t bottle up your feelings. Often stress occurs out of frustration and lack of communication. Learn positive ways to express your feelings and desires to people who may be causing you stress. If talking to a person isn’t the answer, then put your feelings on paper in a journal. Many times the simple act of 'getting it off your chest' in an appropriate manner will reduce your stress level.

Are chemicals the culprit? Surprisingly, much of the stress you experience daily could be due to what you are putting into your body in the form of chemicals. Be sure to eat a balanced, healthy diet to assure you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs to operate and maximum efficiency.

• Caffeine is a stimulant. If you drink more than a couple cups a day, try decaf. You may find that switching to a good decaffeinated coffee will reduce a significant amount of stress.

• Alcohol in small doses may help you relax. However, in larger amounts it may increase stress as it disrupts sleep and causes hangovers. Large amounts over an extended period will start damaging your body.

• Nicotine in the very short-term may appear to relax your body, but it doesn’t. Nicotine’s toxic effect raises the heart rate and stresses the body and lungs. Consider quitting! There are a number of stop-smoking aids available on the market today.

• Sugar can raise energy in the short term. Unfortunately, your body has to counteract the high dose of sugar in your blood by raising your insulin level. Once your blood-sugar level is normalized, the insulin will continue acting and you will experience a decrease in energy lower than before you ate the sugar. Try not to overtax your body by feeding it high dosages of sugar.

Stress Management

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i've actually experienced this during an endoscopy years ago - Should You Be Worried The Events In The Movie "Awake" Can Happen To You? | Scientific Blogging

"Awake", a film starring Hayden Christenson and Jessica Alba, is a psychological thriller about a horrifying phenomenon called "anesthetic awareness" where a patient's failed anesthesia leaves him fully conscious but physically paralyzed.

How common is it? Research shows that between one and three in every 1,000 patients experience some form of wakefulness during operations.

Some may not remember a period of consciousness during an operation – anesthetic drugs can interfere with recall – but they may still suffer subsequent psychological difficulties. In some cases patients aren't given enough of the sedative element of an anesthetic to keep them asleep.

Jessica Alba as Sam in "Awake." © The Weinstein Company 2007.

Professor Michael Wang, of the University of Leicester School of Psychology, has spent more than 20 years working with patients who have woken up during operations. He believes part of the problem is that anaesthetists themselves do not realise just how common anaesthetic awareness is, or how difficult it is for them to detect it when it happens.

Professor Wang said episodes of full awareness with explicit recall during operations with general anaesthesia are more common than many realise. "The common reason for failure to identify intra-operative awareness is the paralyzing effects of muscle relaxants. Contrary to traditional belief there are no reliable clinical signs to enable the identification of wakefulness," he said.

Professor Wang will speak at a conference on anesthetic awareness in Munich next month, arguing more should be done to prevent patients waking during operations. Wang is also due to address an international conference on the subject where a patient undergoing medical treatment is under anaesthesia but is conscious of all the pain of the operation.

He urges anesthetists to use the Isolated Forearm Technique in which a tourniquet is applied to the arm before paralyzing muscle relaxant is administered, allowing patients to communicate with doctors should they become wakeful. He said: "In most cases if a patient becomes wakeful, no one knows about it until after the operation is over. The effects of these experiences can be devastating. People suffer depression, intense anxiety and other psychological problems." The problem is more common among women, although it is not known why.

Studies conducted by Prof Wang and Dr Ian Russell (Hull Royal Infirmary) have made use of the isolated forearm technique to determine levels of consciousness during general anesthesia, which allows communication despite the muscle paralysis.

"Often patients will demonstrate high levels of consciousness during an operation but without conscious recall afterwards. This is because many anaesthetic drugs interfere with memory. I and colleagues have also investigated benzodiazepine sedation as another clinical circumstance in which there may be dissociation between unconscious and conscious recall. There is an intriguing literature in which patients have developed psychological disturbance following operations with general anaesthesia in which the patient has no conscious recall, but the nature of the disturbance is indicative of inadequate anaesthesia. Experimental studies that attempt to investigate the mechanisms by which this may occur are reviewed."

Should You Be Worried The Events In The Movie "Awake" Can Happen To You? | Scientific Blogging

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Datepad - Top 10 Article - The Top 10 Most Fattening Foods On the Planet - Free Online Dating & Dating Personals

#10 – The Avacado

Mother Natures Fatty Son

Most of you have probably heard that the avocado is the most fattening vegetable on the planet. Well first off it’s a fruit, secondly you’re right, this baby is loaded with fat, unlike anything else on this list the fat in an avocado is actually good for you. The fat in avocados is called monounsaturated fat, it’s the same fat that you find in Olive Oil it’s not only a good fat but it reduces cholesterol levels. Basically if you have eaten or plan on eating anything on this list you might want to throw back a couple of avocado’s.

There are 31 grams of fat on average in each avocado, but this time it’s good fat!

31 Grams of Fat

#9 – Hardee's

The Monster Biscuit

We’re at Hardee’s for breakfast and this Monster offering won’t disappoint! We’ll start with a butter based country style biscuit, then add 3 strips of bacon, a full size sausage patty and 4 slices of shaved ham, this takes care of the pork department. After the meat has rested nicely they add a folded egg and 2 slices of processed cheese. I am not sure how you get your mouth around this but if for any reason this sandwich seems appealing to you the logistics of eating it are probably the least of your concerns.

Now for the numbers 710 calories and 51 grams of fat and this is the most important meal of the day. The question is will you make lunch?

710 Calories & 51 Grams of Fat

#8 – Voodoo Doughnut

Home of the Maple Glazed-Bacon Doughnut

Yes, I am serious – bacon. Voodoo Doughnut is a Portland Oregon landmark: they make some of the craziest doughnuts on the planet. Doughnuts covered in Cap'n Crunch, Coco Puffs and even one beauty dusted in Tang (Neil Armstrong would be proud). The one we’re here to talk about is the colossal giant maple glazed doughnut that has two strips of crispy bacon on top of it. For those of you that want sweet and pork in the same bite this doughnut has it all!

As for the numbers, well, Voodoo isn’t a national chain, so they don’t post nutrition info and why should they? Doughnuts don’t have any nutrition but they do taste great and that’s all that matters!

??? Calories & ??? Grams of Fat

#7 – Carl’s Jr.

Taco Salad

Mom always said eat your salad because it’s good for you, loaded with nutrients and vitamins and low in fat, right? Not at Carl’s JR! They have a little diddy called the Taco Salad, and while I haven’t had one it actually looks pretty decent. Seasoned ground beef with refried beans, jack and cheddar cheese, lettuce, salsa, hot sauce and sour cream, all of this is served in a deep fried tortilla bowl that you can eat!

It doesn’t sound that bad, right? 940 Calories and 57 grams of fat to put this in comparison the legendary Big Mac is a respective 540 Calories and 29 grams of fat, ouch!

940 Calories & 57 Grams of Fat

#6 – Dairy Queen

The Large Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard

For those of us that love Ice Cream, and most of us do, the blizzard is a damn fine concoction! What will shock you is just how fattening this dessert is.

1,320 Calories & 52 Grams of Fat

#5 – McDonalds

Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (Supersize Combo)

We couldn’t do a list without some McFried goodness and the Double Quarter Pounder is McDonalds meanest burger. 2-¼ pound patties and processed cheese match this up with a large fry and large Coke and you have artery clogging magic!

The numbers for the entire meal are as follows, 1,620 Calories and 72 grams of fat.

1,620 Calories & 72 Grams of Fat

#4 – Poutine

The French Canadian gastronomic contribution to the world

Pronounced “Pooh-teen” So now that we know its somewhat disturbing name, what is it? You start with a plate of fries, then you add a healthy handful of cheese curds and pour over a generous amount of gravy. Keep in mind this is usually served with a burger and a soft drink.

As a side dish the numbers are staggering. 1,300 Calories and 72 grams of fat!

1,300 Calories & 72 Grams of Fat

#3 – Hardee's

Montser ThickBurger

So let me describe this puppy: 2 seriously large patties that are 1/3 of a pound each. For those metric types out there that’s over 136 grams of meat baby! Next we have 4 large slices of bacon and 3 slices of processed cheese. Now let’s get to the bun, it of course has Mayo and lots of it and they also insist on buttering this large sesame seeded meat holder

Ok so how bad is it? 1,420 calories and 107 grams of fat! That just a burger folks!

1,420 Calories & 107 Grams of Fat

#2 – Turducken

Turkey, Duck & Chicken!

For those that don’t know Turducken is basically a hollowed out turkey (Yup they remove the bones!) Within that Turkey one stuffs a hollowed out duck which also has a hollowed out chicken inside of it and of course you need to squeeze in some pork sausage to bring it all together. That isn’t a typo, I said Pork Sausage baby. Now here’s the kicker, you take the giant mound of skin fat goodness and you deep fry the bastard!

So how fattening is it? One single serving of Turducken without gravy is over 3,500 Calories and 214 grams of fat! Turducken is the real deal baby!

3,500 Calories & 214 Grams of Fat

#1 – The Big Texan

The 72 oz Steak takes the crown!

The Big Texan in Amarillo Texas is one of the most famous steak houses on the planet and this enormous steak has a lot to do with it! 72 oz’s of heart stopping beef that translates to 4.5 pounds!! That’s the size of a small baby! The crazy part is over 8,000 people have successfully gnawed their way through one of these big guys including an 11 year old boy and a 69 year old grandmother. One crazy SOB ate two of them in within the one hour limit!

As for fat and calories, as you’d expect they’re large numbers... 5,760 Calories 480 Grams of fat.

5,760 Calories & 480 Grams of Fat

Datepad - Top 10 Article - The Top 10 Most Fattening Foods On the Planet - Free Online Dating & Dating Personals

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How To Maximize The Power Of Your Mind - Day 4

Day 4: 'What You Should Feed The Mind'

Last time, we discovered that we have to focus on the conscious

mind as it's the gateway to the very powerful subconscious mind. We want to

careful as to what we feed the conscious mind because that inevitably goes to

the subconscious. This lesson is all about what to feed the conscious mind and

how to do it.

So what should you feed your conscious mind? If there's one thing you shouldn't

feed your conscious mind, it's junk food. Many people feed their minds with junk

food in the form of negative thoughts. You can't just have one chip right? You've

got to have one more and one more after that. It's the same thing with negative

thoughts. One is not enough and soon you down a whole bag of negative thoughts

and all that goes straight into your subconscious mind.

So what can we do to feed our mind nutritious food?

Reading

Reading is one of the best ways to feed your mind. Why read? Because when you

read, it's like talking to another person. Imagine having Thomas Jefferson,

James Allen, Napoleon Hill, John C. Maxwell by your side as your advisors.

You are in effective, sitting across a table from them and soaking up the wisdom

they have to offer by reading their books.

If you can read a book that summarizes 20 years of experience in 2 hours, is that

not a worthwhile investment? It most certainly is. The return you get is greater

than any stock, mutual fund, or commodity you can ever invest in.

So what type of books should you read to feed your conscious mind?

-autobiographies of successful people
-inspirational stories
-self improvement books

Let's tackle each type of book one at a time.

Autobiographies of successful people

I highly recommend reading these because by doing so, you get a snapshot of

the ENTIRE picture, the good times AND the bad times. You'll realize that there is

no happy go lucky journey where everything works just right. When you hear on the

news of people achieving huge goals seemingly overnight, the news tends to focus

only on the WIN, NOT the losses, not the mistakes, not the times where there was

self doubt, the times of depression. Autobiographies highlight the aspects that we

want to push under the rug but it's important that we understand ALL aspects of

the journey and how they all worked together to help in the achievement of goals.

Inspirational books

These books are here to drill in you the fact the power of the human spirit, that it

CAN be done. Sometimes, we forget this simple fact so these stories are here

to remind you. Remember the stories of the people I mentioned in the beginning of

this eCourse? Did you remember the hope that was filled within you when you read

their stories? Let that hope and knowledge fill you conscious mind and penetrate to

your subconscious mind so that you can start developing attitudes and actions that

reflect the CAN DO philosophy.

Self Improvement Books

This eCourse is but a fraction of the information that can be found on the topic of

self improvement. Your body and mind carry within them great potential so it only

make sense you learn all you can about them. Reading self improvement books

gives you that specialized knowledge you need to maximize your potential.

Build your library with these kinds of books and commit yourself to reading for at least

an hour a day and your life will change, guaranteed.

If you think about it, most people, even before they attempt to set a goal, operate

under the assumption of failure so they picture failure. They picture it and that goes

in the subconscious mind. What we need to do is start feeding success instead of

failure and these books do just that. By constantly reading them and feeding that

kind of information in your mind, it will drive the idea of success into your

subconscious, which then influences your future thoughts and actions accordingly.

The next best thing to reading is listening.

Listening

Instead of turning on the radio, buy some self improvement cds and listen to them

in your car. Leverage that time. The reasons why you should listen are the same

as the reasons as reading. If at all possible read, but if you cannot, listening is the

next best thing.

Listen to tapes in your car.
Listen to tapes while you clean your room.
Listen to tapes while you exercise.

Listen. Listen. Listen.

Watching

The next best thing to do after listening is to watch. Watch the inspirational movies.

We have a list of inspirational movies over in the discussion forum you can access

by clicking this url http://www.briankim.net/mastermind/showthread.php?t=1
(you may have to register to view the thread). Feel free to add some of your own as well.

Visualizing

Now it's your turn to voluntarily feed your mind. The mind thinks in pictures,

not in words. We use words to describe pictures. If you were to describe a park

you saw to a friend, you hold a picture of that park in your mind and you translate

that picture into words. Then those words enter the mind of your friend where it's

then reconstructed into pictures again. The language of the mind is pictures.

It's universal. It's the same in every country.

Start feeding into your mind the pictures you want, NOT the pictures you don't

want. Picture the kind of person you want to be. Picture the kind of job you want

to have. Do this constantly.

Feed your mind with these rich mental images and soon you will be unconsciously

taking action to get to it. Even though your current "reality" does not reflect the

picture you have in your mind, that doesn't matter (remember the lemon example?).

The subconscious mind only believes what's in the conscious mind. Picture what you

want and the subconscious mind will obey. It will naturally start altering your thoughts

and actions to achieve the pictures in your mind.

If you constantly picture the kind of job you want, you'll find yourself taking action

to get it. You'll be talking with friends and family about that job since it's always

on your mind, reading on articles on how to get jobs, making network connections,

etc. In other words, all your actions will start to become conducive because you've

fed your mind what you want in a language that it understands.

When you feed your mind what you want, there's no doubt you desire them.

Why else would you be feeding your mind these things? When you picture them,

really feel the emotion behind the things you want. Emotion is like adding gas to

the fire. Remember how I stressed the importance of emotion when I had you read

those two sentences in the previous lesson?

Emotion drills into your subconscious like no other. That's why people who read

affirmations without any emotions can't get results while people who read them with

emotion do. It's not enough to read something. You've got to feel the emotions

behind it. Emotions give it that kick that drives the picture deep into your

subconscious mind. Your thoughts are like jet fuel. Emotions are the match you

strike and throw into that fuel. I quote from Napoleon Hill "Your subconscious

mind recognizes and acts only upon thoughts which have been well mixed with

emotion or feeling."

If people have pictures of what they fear (fear is a powerful emotion), the

subconscious mind acts on that to subtly bring that into experience, which triggers

more fear so this process starts working against them.

You well know the difference between a speaker who "charges" his words with

feelings as opposed to a speaker who is dull, bone dry, and monotonous. Which speaker

has more of an effect on you? Obviously the one that is more passionate.

How much more will YOU, the speaker to your subconscious mind have more of

an effect on it if you "charge" your thoughts with emotions?

Start feeding your mind with nutritious information. Then picture what you want.

Most people don't bother picturing what they want because they don't think they

can have it.

That's why you must FIRST feed your mind with all of those books, tapes,

and movies to drill into you that YOU TOO have what it takes.

Now that your mind is being well fed, we want to start using that food as energy

to work the mind out and to strengthen it. That aspect of the eCourse will be

covered tomorrow.

To the inevitable achievement of all your hopes and dreams,

Brian Kim

How To Maximize The Power Of Your Mind - Day 3

Day 3: 'Get A Grip on Your Thoughts'

Last time , we discovered the structure of our mind and realized

how powerful our subconscious mind was in subtly influencing our actions and

perceptions. We also realized that we needed to zero in on the conscious mind

because it's the gatekeeper of the subconscious mind. This issue will go into

that aspect in greater detail.

Remember: control your thoughts or they will control you. If you don't control

your thoughts, you'll do what a lot of people do and that's crash. Imagine

you're in a BMW and you press the accelerator but don't make an effort to

control the steering wheel. What happens? Sooner or later, you're going to

crash because you didn't take control of the car. How much more control should

you take of your own mind?

To illustrate this point, I want you to read the following sentences aloud.

Sentence 1: You're the happiest guy on earth. Everybody loves

you because you're so nice and sincere. You're dependable, trustworthy, and

you're what every person would want in a true friend. Nobody has anything bad

to say about you.

Sentence 2: You're a total loser. You're nothing. You're a joke.

Everybody dislikes you and stays as far away from you as possible. Nobody cares

about you. You don't make a difference at all.

Notice the shift in your attitude and how quickly your smile turned upside down

after reading the second sentence.

Let's break down what happened in your mind as you read both sentences.

When you read those sentences, you thought of pictures in your head and

those pictures evoked feelings which then went straight into your subconscious

mind, which then resulted in the corresponding shift in attitudes and actions.

Note that the sentences were colored with emotion. This is important because

emotion penetrates to the subconscious mind like no other. If you emotionalize

your thoughts, you can reach the subconscious that much faster. Think back to

all those stories of people who've achieved great goals. They had thoughts of

what they wanted to do and they colored those thoughts with emotion, powerful

emotions such as desire.

But you know what the sad thing is? Most people are constantly

thinking in terms of Sentence #2 (hopefully not as severe though). They are

always thinking in terms of negative thoughts and as a result, their attitudes

and actions match those thoughts accordingly. How can we reverse this process?

On any given day, there are probably a million thoughts that go through your mind.

The first thing I want you to do is just become aware of them. Really become

aware of just how powerful they are. (You probably do know just how powerful

they are now from just doing that example and from reading the previous 2 lessons.)

Now that you're aware that your thoughts hold great power, the next thing I

want you to do is just listen. Really listen to what's going on there. You might be

surprised as to what you find out. Some of you might find that you've been thinking

in terms of Sentence #2 (hopefully not as bad as that), but something to that degree.

"I'm not smart enough."
"I can't do that."
"That's impossible."

Your subconscious mind is listening to all that and it's saying: "Ok. Got it.

Now I'll just influence your attitudes and actions to prevent you from achieving

any goal from now on because you think it's impossible. Because you think you

can't do it. Because you think you're not smart enough."

Remember, your subconscious mind is just following the orders of your conscious

mind. Some people think thoughts like that on a continuous basis and it's because

they think those kinds of thoughts that they automatically dismiss any notion

of trying to achieve anything. You know who these people are. You bring up an idea

and they'll say:

"That'll never work."
"There's too much risk."
"It'll never happen."

So I want you to really listen and see what you're thinking. One way to keep track

of your thoughts is to write them down, preferably 3 times per day. Once in the

morning, once in the afternoon, and once before you go to sleep. Just transfer

what's in your head on to paper. Don't try to change the thoughts in between

because you'd just be defeating the whole purpose. Just let it out. That way,

you can get a true snapshot of what's going in there. Many people who've tried

this were surprised as to what was actually going on in their minds.

Now that you're aware of your thoughts and have listened to them, what I want

you to do now is catch the negative thoughts that come into your head. Don't let

them slip by. They're very sly so catch them in the act. For example, many students

in school may think:

"I'm not smart enough".

Catch that thought in the act, choose a replacement and back that replacement up.

"I may not have the highest GPA, but I'm smart in the sense that I know when I

need to go and ask for help as well as how to gather the correct resources to help

me better understand the material."

Ideally, you want to do this automatically, but it won't happen overnight. It'll take

some time. That's why optimistic people are so happy. They've already gone through

that process several times so they habituated it so it's like there's never any

negative thinking to begin with.

Keep it simple.

Aware
Listen
Catch
Replace

Soon enough, it becomes:

Listen
Be Pleasantly Surprised.

Most people are oblivious to the fact that they can change their thoughts. You have

the power to choose what to think. You're not an animal that automatically reacts to

its environment. You have the ability to choose what to think which leads you to

actions that correspond to those exact thoughts you've chosen.

It's really easy to think negative. Standards imposed by society tell us how we should

look like, what we should eat, wear, do with our lives, etc. You are getting impressed

from people from all over so it's really eas for others to do the thinking FOR you.

It's always an uphill battle until you develop the habit of thinking for yourself. Once

you do that, it's a great liberating feeling.

Think of your mind as a hose out of control spraying every which way. You want

to grab control of the hose, turn off the negative thoughts that are spewing out, and

hook up your hose to positive thoughts and spew those onto your subconscious mind

to influence your future thoughts and actions to be conducive to them.

In our next issue, we'll find out what we can feed our mind to nourish it.

To the inevitable achievement of all your hopes and dreams,

Brian Kim

The 7 Day Quest For The Perfect Hangover Cure | Just A Guy Thing

The 7 Day Quest For The Perfect Hangover Cure

Posted on 09 April 2008 by Ian

Image by yoke_mc

Using science as an excuse to get tanked on booze has always been a dream of ours at the JAGT HQ, which is why writing this article was all the more satisfying. The thesis is simple; get drunk seven times and for each hangover, try a different ‘cure’ and report back on its effectiveness.

Our subject is a 25 year old male who has experienced some decline in his ability to recover quickly from a hangover. Let’s see what Wikipedia says he has to look forward to:

A hangover is associated with a variety of symptoms that may include dehydration, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, elevated body temperature, hypersalivation, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, irritability, sensitivity to light and noise, erratic motor functions, and trouble sleeping. Many people will also be repulsed by the thought or taste of alcohol during a hangover. The symptoms vary from person to person, and occasion to occasion, usually beginning several hours after drinking.

Looking at the extensive list of hangover symptoms only makes our relationship with beer all the more bittersweet. Let’s get stuck into the experiment and see how our subject got on.

Hangover Cure #1 - The hair of the dog

Image by szczur

The Myth

The colloquial English phrase “the hair of the dog that bit you” actually suggests alcohol itself as a form of treatment for a hangover. Scientifically, there is evidence that a hangover is not only the body removing toxins but also the body’s reaction to withdrawal of alcohol.

The Reality

“After a heavy night drinking, I wake up with a splitting headache and smelling like Robert Downey Jr. before rehab. The thought of drinking more alcohol is unbearable as the nausea sets in. Grudgingly, I crack open a bottle of Budweiser and sit, shaking, in my underwear as I sip the golden nectar in the interests of science. After 30 minutes I start to feel a lot better. Out comes another bottle and this one goes down a lot smoother than before. It’s not even 9am yet and temptation has me craving a third bottle of beer. I resist, and although I feel pretty good now it’s only a matter of time before the familiar symptoms creep back to ruin my day.”

The Conclusion

After trying the hair of the dog, our subject reported that he actually began to feel better. His headache subsided and the feeling of nausea passed. Unfortunately, once he’d finished drinking the symptoms came back just as strongly in the afternoon. By drinking a couple of beers he had merely delayed the inevitable. Now, if he had mixed himself a Bloody Mary, it might have been a different story.

Hangover Cure #2 - A big greasy breakfast

Image by markscott

The Myth

Here in England, ask anyone what the best hangover cure is and it’s very likely that they’ll say, “A big greasy fry up.” A fry up, also known as a Full English Breakfast is a traditionally cooked meal which is served in the morning and will include most of the following:

• Toast or fried bread
• Fried bacon
• Fried egg
• Sausages
• Fried or tinned tomatoes
• Fried mushrooms
• Baked beans
• Hash browns
• HP brown sauce and/or ketchup

While not exactly good for your heart, it is said that a full English can “soak up the alcohol”.

The Reality

“My head feels like I’ve been in a train wreck and to say my stomach is a little delicate would be an understatement. I don’t really feel like eating but the smell of the fried egg and bacon gets me salivating and my taste buds are on red alert. I apply a liberal amount of HP brown sauce to my bacon, sausage, eggs, baked beans, hash browns and tinned tomatoes and get stuck in like I haven’t eaten in weeks! To cap off a fantastic breakfast I wash the food down with a strong cup of tea. Half an hour after the breakfast, my nausea has all but vanished. My head, while still throbbing, doesn’t pound anywhere near as much as it did before I ate and any lethargy I felt when waking up has been replaced by a sudden surge of energy.”

The Conclusion

A pretty good result for this cure. The headache didn’t completely disappear but it subsided, along with nausea and laziness! Perhaps the Full English Breakfast really does soak up alcohol after all?

Hangover Cure #3 - Exercise

Image by formationofme

The Myth

There is no denying that a workout makes you feel good. The endorphins are flowing, you clear your mind and your blood pumps through your veins. But is this a good idea after a heavy drinking session? Science states that exercise after a night on the tiles helps the heart pump blood around the body and increases the amount of oxygen in your body too. This, supposedly, flushes the impure toxins of the booze out of your system.

The Reality

“After arriving at the gym, I spend about ten minutes at the water cooler trying not to be sick psyching myself up. With plenty of water to hand, I finally get on and start at a light, steady pace. Surprisingly, my stamina is actually better than usual. I’m sweating like a nun in a cucumber patch but enjoying every second of the workout! After 30 minutes of moderate jogging I decide to call it a day. The walk home is borderline euphoric. If only I’d known that working out after a skinful was this rewarding; I would be built like a Greek god by now. A few hours after the gym however, my head is pounding and I feel exhausted and weak. My euphoric high has now been replaced with a depressive low. So much for the gym being the answer to my alcoholic prayers.”

The Conclusion

Working out seems to be a short term solution to the problem, but is the immense high of working out when you’re already dehydrated worth the physical risks and the manic low experienced by our test subject? Our verdict: no.

Hangover Cure #4 - Drinking water

Image by positivelypurple

The Myth

Although technically a prevention rather than a remedy, drinking water before going to bed is the most common way to prevent a hangover from occurring. The science behind this is simple; excessive drinking leaves your body dehydrated. Replenishing your body by drinking water is the logical way to counteract this. Let’s see if it worked.

The Reality

“After ten pints and a couple of shots, I stumble home in a drunken stupor. I almost head straight for bed before I remember there is something I’m supposed to do. What the hell is it? Oh yes, I need to drink lots and lots of water. I grab my ‘Worlds Greatest Lover’ pint glass and fill it with water. Somehow a pool of water appears on the floor too. Never mind, the girlfriend will sort that out. I refill three times and force the non-alcoholic liquid down my throat. I feel bloated and sleepy. I burp quickly before heading to bed. The next morning I wake up at 9am and lie there for a moment. No nausea, no lethargy, a very slight headache but nothing I can’t handle. ‘It’s a miracle!’ I proclaim as I get out of bed. Oh no….dizziness sets in and I lose my balance and bounce against the wardrobe door. It passes quickly but now the headache is more noticeable. I don’t feel terrible, but I don’t feel great either.”

The Conclusion

There is no questioning that drinking plenty of water both during, and after, your drinking session will be of great benefit the morning after. Our subject suffered slight dizziness and lack of balance, but after ten pints and a few shots, this is actually quite a good result.

Hangover Cure #5 - Over the counter hangover pills

Image by thomasthomas

The Myth

Over the counter dietary supplement RU-21 contains the active ingredient succinic acid, an extract of amber. The penis enlargement internet marketers have jumped on the bandwagon and now tout the pill as a miracle cure for alcohol hangovers. Supposedly developed by Soviet scientists for the KGB, this ‘wonder drug’ apparently metabolizes the alcohol in your body. Urban legend says that it was intended for use by KGB spies to drink heavily with suspected Western spies so that they could remain sober and potentially obtain secrets from their drunken counterparts. When that didn’t work, tests showed it could lessen a hangover. Let’s see.

The Reality

“I had decided beforehand that to fully test this pill I’d need to drink more alcohol than I had ever drunk in my life before. Heading to the local watering hole I started gradually with a couple of bottles of Corona and lime. Then I downed two pints of Carling lager before my mate came over and challenged me to pick up the pace. Necking a double vodka and coke I summoned the barman to provide me with two shots of tequila and a beer to wash it down. Amidst this I was popping the odd ‘dietary pill’ and drawing concerned looks from the locals. Stepping up a gear I drank, in quick succession, a depth charge, two shots of some disgusting apple liquid, an Aftershock and a Southern Comfort and coke. I finished the evening off with a bottle of Bud and a shot of absinthe. (I remember everything I drunk because I wrote it down, thankfully) The next morning I woke up feeling like I’d been hit in the face by a sledgehammer and proceeded to be ‘violently ill’ in the bathroom. This experiment was an absolute disaster and I would gladly accept death to stop the pain.”

The Conclusion

Upon further research, it is documented that the pill “is not for binge drinkers”. It apparently works best when drinking in moderation. Call us cynical but isn’t that the kind of drinking that means you barely even get a hangover, thus ensuring that the drug can never be discounted as a placebo, created by a charlatan to take money from the unsuspecting public?

Hangover Cure #6 - Back To The Future Wake-Up Juice

Image by pmarella

The Myth

In Back To The Future: Part 3, Doc Brown gets smashed on whiskey after losing the love of his life. Mad Dog Tannen is on his way to six-shoot Marty and the Doc to an early grave and the lovable scientist has passed out at the bar. The bar tender Chester puts together an antidote to alcohol called wake-up juice. The BTTF wiki claims this juice includes tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, chili peppers, onion, and mustard seed. We bought and blended the ingredients to test out on our unsuspecting subject.

The Reality

“‘What’s in it?’ I ask gingerly as I walk into the kitchen nursing the hangover from hell. My tormentor just smiles and hits level 3 on the blender. My head reacts badly and I wince at the sound of the blades liquidizing the blood-red concoction. After what seems like an eternity I’m handed a half-pint glass of the most disgusting looking drink I have ever seen in my life. I feel like a prisoner of war as I’m instructed to neck the whole thing in one go. I take a deep breath and fling my head back, gulping down the cocktail of god-knows-what. At first I feel nothing. But then, from the bottom of my throat up and into my mouth and my lips, all I feel is heat. I’m burning from the inside with a very distinct bitter taste. I reach for the tap but nothing comes out They cut the taps to ensure the experiment goes as planned! I gag and heave and after what seems like an eternity I prepare myself for the humiliation of vomiting on the kitchen floor, just as the taps come back on and I engulf my head in water, lapping at the faucet like a dog after a long walk. Thirty minutes later and the headache still pounds through my skill, my stomach is more volatile than ever and my lips still tingle with the hint of tabasco sauce. I’m never drinking again.”

The conclusion

It seems that with all their millions of dollars, Hollywood can put together some fantastic sets, amazing visual effects and some great guy movies, but they can’t create a cure for a hangover.

Hangover Cure #7 - Vomiting

Image by alphababy

The Myth

Another prevention which is supposed to be done prior to sleeping, vomiting has been the hangover prevention of choice for frat boys for decades now. The science says that vomiting is the bodies natural way of getting rid of toxins quickly. Oh, there is also the slight risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Nevertheless, we sent our intrepid subject out to vomit in the name of science.

The Reality

“After a marathon drinking session which started at the local pub, I began my quest to have a drink (or two) in each bar leading into town - a mile long stretch in total - before arriving at a nightclub ten pints later for some serious drinking. Cue shots of vodka, whiskey, tequila, ouzo, absinthe and Aftershock - all in the name of science. I don’t remember getting home, but what I do remember is being wrapped around the toilet for the better part of the night. I awoke in the morning to find myself sleeping on the floor next to the bed. I ached but my head felt fine. My stomach felt pretty solid and I had a big bacon sandwich and cup of coffee to pick me up. I was feeling great with the only downside being my lack of desire to do anything. I lay in bed playing XBox and nothing short of a natural disaster was going to get me out of my underpants. Of course, I’d rather feel bad than have to clean up the festering mess that still exists in and around the toilet bowl!”

The Conclusion

Being sick after a heavy session seems to greatly reduce the effects of a hangover the next morning. It doesn’t reduce the lethargy though and the health risks of regularly making yourself sick means that we recommend leaving self-induced vomiting to Nicole Ritchie and the Olsen twins.

The final hangover summary

Of the seven remedies trialled by our resident guinea pig, we asked him to choose the most effective cure for a hangover. His answer: A Full English Breakfast. Now, after all this science mumbo-jumbo we’re gonna head off and get a few beers, while eating….a full english breakfast. In the meantime, drop your best hangover remedies in the comments. We can’t live without the booze, so we might as well share ways to enjoy all of the positives while reducing the negatives. Cheers.

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