Matador Network's Blog, page 2316

5 biggest crises facing our oceans

Photo: Zach Dischner

1. Great Pacific Garbage Patch

What is it?

What’s known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (or the Pacific Trash Vortex) — a massive accumulation of plastic waste in the ocean — is actually two separate entities: the Western (between Japan and Hawaii) and the Eastern (between Hawaii and California) Pacific Garbage Patches. Connected by a thin current called the Subtropical Convergence Zone, the combined area of the two patches is estimated to be around 1.5 times the size of the US.src It’s considered the biggest landfill on the planet.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

What’s causing it?

Whether intentional (ocean dumping) or unintentional (carelessly discarded trash), a lot of human-made waste ends up in the ocean, around 90% of it being plastic.src Through wind and ocean currents the garbage accumulates in large areas where there is significantly less current.

Why you should care

Sea creatures and birds — most famously the albatross — often mistake the flotsam for food; the plastic disrupts the digestive systems of these animals and they die. Humans end up consuming this plastic too — the material breaks down into smaller and smaller particles and is eaten by very small creatures, which are then eaten by their predators, and so on up the food chain until it gets to our tables.

Besides being harmful to living beings, the presence of this vast amount of garbage is changing the ecosystem. Algae and plankton populations — which create their own food from oxygen, carbon, and sunlight — can be affected by less sunlight due to accumulating surface debris. This in turn affects animals that feed on them and, again, up the food chain, altering nature’s balance. Besides all that, much of the trash also washes up on islands in the Pacific, burying beaches in layers of our waste.

What’s being done about it?

Since 80% of sea garbage comes from land, there is considerable effort in the developed world — where a large proportion of plastic is consumed and tossed — to stem the use of plastic (e.g., banning plastic bags in grocery stores, using bio-degradable containers, etc.). Education and awareness raising will also go a long way in decreasing the amount of waste we generate. Of course, while lowering our consumption is the most effective way to avoid compounding the problem, there still remains this massive landfill in the middle of the ocean, and no one yet has come up with any clear idea of how to clean it up (one potential solution is Boyan Slat’s Ocean Cleanup Array). To me it really comes down to two words: Consume less.

2. Warming sea water

What’s the issue?

Compared to the last 50 years, the overall temperature of the world’s oceans today is at its highest; surface temperatures, where this increase is most evident, have been increasing rapidly since the late 1800s.src

What’s causing it?

Despite increasing greenhouse gas emissions, the Earth’s average surface temperatures haven’t risen over the past 15 years. According to a November, 2013 study published in Science, the expected heat increase is likely being absorbed by the oceans.src In the study, researchers found that in part of the Pacific Ocean, middle-depth temperatures increased at 15 times the rate over the past 60 years than they did the previous 10,000 years. This amounts to about a 0.32-degree Fahrenheit rise in the past six decades.

Why you should care

In our frame of reference, this heat increase sounds very small, but even tiny changes in ocean temperature can have significant impact on life:

Photo: Joshua Nguyen

Coral bleaching – The algae that live in coral provide it with nutrition and also all the colours that we see in images from, say, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. But coral is very sensitive to temperature increases, and once the water gets too warm it expels the algae and turns white. If the coral can’t reabsorb the algae it dies. While coral only constitutes about 1% of the planet’s undersea ecosystems, they are home to around a quarter of all marine species, help to protect shorelines, and support fishing and tourism industries.src

Rising sea levels – As temperatures increase, the oceans expand. With the help of melting sea ice, absolute sea levels are currently rising at a rate of about 0.13 inches per year.src This causes a host of major problems, like: the drowning of shallow-water sea life (coral reefs, sea grass meadows), loss of coastal habitat for animals (in many cases, animals are unable to migrate further inland because of man-made barriers like seawalls and other developments), and loss of habitat for humans. Around 10% of the human population stand to be directly affected by rising sea levels.src

Migration of aquatic life toward the poles – A study published in August, 2013 found that species of sea life, “from plankton and ocean plants to predators such as seals, seabirds and big fish,” are migrating at a pace of 7km per year toward the poles to chase appropriate survival and breeding conditions. Compare this to land species, who are moving at around 1km per year.src Species unable to migrate — like barnacles and shellfish, which rely on coastal ecosystems — are put at greater risk.

What’s being done about it?

Since human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are largely to blame, efforts to lower these are of the utmost importance. World leaders and policymakers have been slow to react and implement any meaningful regulations. In the meantime, it’s up to each individual to do their best to lower their carbon footprint.

3. Over-fishing

What is it?

Put simply, humans are taking fish out of the ocean at rates faster than they can reproduce.

What’s causing it?

The problem began in the mid-1900s when governments around the world made significant efforts to increase catches. By providing subsidies, loans, and industry-favoured policies, they fuelled commercial fishing in extracting ever-increasing numbers of fish to provide a wide variety to the public at low prices.

Everything changed though in terms of fishing…with the addition of steam power to the fishing fleet, and this changed all the rules. We were now cut loose from the bonds of wind and tide that had held us for so long. We were able to travel much farther offshore, we could get fish back to market in a fresh state from much greater distances. You could go deeper down, you could drag bigger nets, you could fish round-the-clock…it was an incredible alteration in the amount of fishing power being expended.

- Professor Callum Roberts, Marine Conservation Biologist, University of York src

Why you should care

By 1989 the fishing industry had caught 90 million metric tons of fish — since then yields have declined or stayed flat. Large ocean fish populations (e.g., blue fin tuna) have decreased to about 10% of pre-industry levels according to a scientific report from 2003. This reduction in yields has spurred the industry to move to the deep waters, which is “triggering a chain reaction that is upsetting the ancient and delicate balance of the sea’s biologic system.” It was predicted in a study published in Science that if the pace of fishing continues, all fisheries will collapse by 2048.src

According to the UN, over 200 million people around the world rely heavily on fishing for their livelihoods and food security, while 20% of the Earth’s population look to fish as their main source of protein.src

What’s being done about it?

The problem of overfishing is reversible. We just need to give species a chance to recover.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) helped found the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a certification body that works with fisheries around the world to help them become sustainable. Today, over $3 billion in annual sales (of over 15,000 seafood products) carries the MSC mark. You can locate dealers that carry MSC-certified products here.

Co-management of reef systems — in which local communities, conservation groups, and governments work together — is also appearing to have positive results in regards to sustainable fishing practices. A study by the Wildlife Conservation Society, carried out by 17 scientists from eight countries, concluded that this arrangement can support communities’ livelihoods while protecting fish stocks.src

“Catch shares” is a fisheries management system in which allowable fishing limits — determined by scientists — are distributed among fishermen as a quota. Around 65% of fish caught in US waters is done so under this management system, which has proven to increase fish stocks, decrease wasted fish (bycatch), and increase revenue for fishing fleets.src

4. Ocean acidification

What is it?

Over the past 300 million years, sea water has had an average pH of 8.2 (pH is measured on a scale from 0 – 14, 7 being neutral, below that being acidic, and above being basic, or alkaline). This has dropped (meaning the ocean is becoming more acidic) by 0.1 pH units to 8.1. This amount of change — because the scale is logarithmic and not linear — represents a 25% increase in acidity.src

What’s causing it?

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, humans have released billions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), half of which has been absorbed by the ocean. When CO2 is absorbed by the ocean it forms carbonic acid, thus making the water more acidic, especially near the surface. While the seas have helped to mitigate the negative effects of these emissions in our atmosphere (i.e., slow down climate change), we’re now starting to understand how it’s affecting the oceans.

Photo: Johann Kristjonsson

Why you should care

Based on our current levels of CO2 emissions, it’s been projected that ocean pH levels may drop by a further 0.5 units. Acidity has a detrimental effect on the ability of certain marine life to build shells (corals, oysters, lobster, etc.) because of the decreased amount of calcium carbonate, a mineral that is the building block of these shells. Acidification is also suspected to cause reproductive problems for some fish. On the other hand, certain plant life like algae and seagrasses may benefit as they require CO2 to survive. In the end, though, the result is an ecosystem out of balance.

In addition to a changing ecosystem, the capacity for our oceans to store CO2 is limited, meaning more and more of the emissions we produce will remain in the atmosphere, accelerating global warming.

What’s being done about it?

Because acidification is directly related to the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere — which, currently, is by far the most in the past 1 million years — the logical and most practical course of action is to reduce any actions that result in excess CO2, namely burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

5. Mercury contamination

What is it?

Mercury is a toxic metal. It is found naturally in air, water, and soil, but due to human activity oceanic levels are rising, which is contaminating marine life.

What’s causing it?

The biggest contributors to mercury pollution are coal-fired power plants and other coal-burning equipment like boilers and heaters.src Coal contains mercury, and when it’s incinerated that mercury enters the atmosphere.

Source: NRDC

Small-scale gold mining operations and artisans are the world’s largest users of mercury, who employ it to extract gold from ore (the mercury binds to the gold and is then burned off, leaving the gold behind and releasing mercury into the air). Metal smelting and refining are also significant contributors to mercury pollution. Atmospheric mercury falls back to earth via precipitation and enters the ocean through rivers and groundwater systems.src Electronics and other consumer goods are also major sources of mercury.

In the past century, mercury levels in the top layer of the ocean have doubled, according to the UN Environment Program.src

Why you should care

Methylmercury, which often results from mercury entering the ocean, is the main concern when it comes to human health. It is consumed by us through fish and other seafood and can impair neurological development in fetuses, newborns, and children. It is so widespread in our environment that almost everyone has at least trace amounts in their tissues.src If you love eating canned tuna, here is a table that describes safe consumption. You can also read this to find out which fish are the least and most contaminated.

What’s being done about it?

In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency has set clean air safeguards (Clean Air Act) that apply to power plants and other atmospheric-polluting operations.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty that was signed by 94 nations in late 2013; its goal is to protect human health and the environment from the effects of mercury pollution. From the website:

The major highlights of the Minamata Convention on Mercury include a ban on new mercury mines, the phase-out of existing ones, control measures on air emissions, and the international regulation of the informal sector for artisanal and small-scale gold mining.

This post is sponsored by Contiki, the world leaders in youth travel. Contiki channels a sizable portion of its energy into supporting the world’s oceans, because protecting oceans has a domino effect on Earth ecosystems that is global in scale. Contiki & Matador are looking for storytellers committed to making a difference in the world. Share with us where you feel closest to nature for a chance at winning one of three spots on a Costa Rica Unplugged adventure.

GoPro footage of 24 mile high jump

REMEMBER that dude that jumped from outerspace a couple years ago? His name is Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian skydiver and apparent daredevil. He broke some records along the way, jumping from around 24 miles above the Earth’s surface and reaching speeds of 834 mph (Mach 1.25). This recently released video from GoPro shows a more indepth story with imagery that is literally out of this world.

Why do we do things like this? If the only answer is “because we can” I’m fine with that; I find this uplifting and a testament to the human spirit. I love what he says just before he jumps: “Sometimes you have to be up really high…to understand how small you are.”

Do yourself a favour and watch this one in full screen.

Hat cam on Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is quite possibly the strangest American tradition. The short of it entails using a large rodent as a weather-prediction device – if the groundhog sees its shadow, he gets scared off, scurries into his burrow, and humans are left with six more weeks of winter. However, if the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow, it’s an indicator that America will see an early spring.

There are speeches, and guys who dress in funny hats, and people willing to stand out in the cold at five o’clock in the morning, all for a chance to hear a groundhog “predict” the seasonal changes to come. This video, from the point of view of an “Inner Circle” member’s top hat, portrays a decent idea of the fanfare involved in Groundhog Day. I can’t believe this tradition has been around since 1887.

This year, despite cloudy conditions, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow; I’m making my own prediction that we’re in for at least a few more polar vortexes. Maybe when it gets warmer, I’ll visit Gobblers Knob, just so say I’ve been to one of the rudest-sounding cities in the USA.

Thoughts on the 'Bud Bowl'

Image via Storify.com

IT’S HARD to ignore news coverage of Super Bowl Sunday, or “Bud Bowl Sunday” — named because the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos, the teams set to throw down later today, hail from the two states that have legalized pot. It’s Colorado vs. Washington: “Clash of the Tokers.”

Puns and plays on words started flying the minute the Seahawks scored the winning touchdown against the 49ers in the NFC Championship game on January 19. The result: “Bud Bowl,” “Stoner Bowl,” “Doobie Bowl,” “’The Evergreen State’ vs. ‘The Mile High City,’” and “Lots of Hits and No Penalties.”

Here are some common reactions from Coloradans when asked about all that.

1. “Yeah, we know.”

On January 1, when an Australian friend posted “Happy ‘Green Wednesday’ to all my Colorado mates” on Facebook, my initial reaction was: Isn’t it a bit early for Earth Day?

Evidently, the rest of the world knew “Green Wednesday” was when recreational marijuana stores opened legally in Colorado. However, for many of us who don’t have a retail marijuana store in our town, or for non-consumers, it’s easier than you think to overlook the hype. After all, we voted on Amendment 64, making pot use for pleasure legal in Colorado, at the end of 2012.

2. “What?”

Even with all the punned-out references, as well as NLF-geared-up Cheech and Chong Instagram pics, and bleary-eyed Broncos and Seahawks caricatures, interestingly, not all cannabis connoisseurs are aware of the “Bud Bowl.”

When you don’t live in Denver, don’t have a retail shop in your town, don’t watch TV, or you don’t consume, it’s easier to be oblivious of the matchup. The reaction of one Salida, CO shopkeeper when he learned what “Bud Bowl” actually meant: “Oh, I thought Budweiser was sponsoring the whole thing.”

3. “Bonus.”

For many Colorado cannabis fans, a “Stoner Bowl Sunday” is the hash oil on top of the bud. In reality, “Green Wednesday” was actually the big day. The “Bud Bowl” is just an additional reason for Colorado cannabis consumers to be happy.

“It has united and excited the marijuana communities,” says Christine Zirbel, with The Green Solution in Denver. “For the most part, we hear about the rivalries of the sport, but his year, everyone just wants to get some herb and celebrate the new age of cannabis.”

4. “Bring on the business.”

Dank Colorado, a smaller Denver medical dispensary and retail shop, had 396 recreational customers on January 1. “Ever since Green Wednesday, we see about 180 to 300 customers a day,” says Jay Griffin, the store’s general manager. He doesn’t see this slowing down anytime soon, especially not for Super Bowl Sunday.

“There’s been a lot of momentum, a lot of talk, a lot of buzz. And it’s pretty exciting,” Griffin adds.

Zirbel also welcomes the boost in business for The Green Solution. “We have had the best customers, and growing excitement for both recreational cannabis and the Super Bowl.”

Several recreational marijuana shops are selling t-shirts and Broncos-themed paraphernalia, offering “Bud Bowl” specials, and keeping many edibles on hand for halftime snacks.

5. “Who’s going to play Manning on Saturday Night Live?”

Generally speaking, the Seahawks and Broncos matchup amuses most Coloradans. We’ve already seen a hysterical parody with SNL’s Noël Wells playing TV host Nancy Grace freaking out over legalized marijuana in Colorado. In the skit, “Nancy” interviews well-known toker and comedian Kat Williams, played by Canadian rapper Drake. Some epic satire is sure to ensue.

Our own Colorado comics are providing laughs for us also. Comedian Jake Browne wrote a hilarious piece for the Denver Post blog the Cannibist, in which he pairs up Super Bowl players with particular strains of pot. Browne’s suggestion for Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning: “In honor of that surgically repaired neck and one heck of a forehead, Manning’s strain would clearly be Dead Head OG.”

6. “How about a friendly wager?”

The Super Bowl usually involves some light gambling, and one of the notable “Bud Bowl” bets is between the Colorado and Washington chapters of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). If the Seahawks lose, the Washington chapter will don Broncos colors and sing John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High.” If the Broncos lose, Colorado’s NORML will sing “Purple Haze” by Seattle legend Jimi Hendrix and wear Seahawks gear.

The Green Solution, and Seattle’s Greenworks Co-Operative, also placed a bet on the game — the loser will donate $1,000 to the winning dispensary’s charity of choice.

7. “Let’s take a tour.”

My 420 Tours, the first cannabis tourism company in Denver, definitely embraced the “Bud Bowl” idea. The company is hosting a sold-out, three-day “Stoner Bowl IV-XX Tour” of Denver that includes visits to recreational stores, a cannabis cooking class, and a “Stoner Bowl Bash.” Ticket prices were listed up to $1,803 per person.

8. “I’m making ‘Grape Ape’ appetizers.”

In addition to Super Bowl party staples like Velveeta-laced nachos, bean dip, and cocktail weenies, party planners have concocted “marijuana enhanced” recipes with hash and cannabis oils. In her article, “A Cannabis-Themed Super Bowl Party?” Denver Post writer Claire Martin interviews Dana Cain, an event planner based in Denver:

I haven’t smoked pot in 20 years, and I’m not throwing a Super Bowl party this year. But if I were, I’d want to have a regular food buffet, and a Stoner Bowl buffet with pot brownies and pot-infused, pot-themed stuff. Instead of a drinking game, you could have a toking game: Whenever Manning yells ‘Omaha!’ you have to take a hit off the bong.

9. “It’s no big deal.”

Because marijuana has been legal to use recreationally for more than a year, the “Bud Bowl” matchup doesn’t faze many Coloradans. “It’s the same as every other Super Bowl. There will still be parties at people’s homes, except now they’ll be legal,” says Brian Carroll, budtender and grower for High Country Healing II in Alma, CO.

The winter storm that recently dumped several inches of snow on the Rocky Mountains is piquing more interest, at least for skiers, who care more about how much snow Colorado just got than which team the Broncos are playing on Sunday.

Another reason the “Bud Bowl” is not such a big deal, according to several smokers: Marijuana has lost some of its allure because it’s legal.

“I always remember smoking and having the paranoid effect,” says Mike Potts (his name was not changed for this story). “They know I’m smoking. Now it doesn’t matter. You kind of lose a little bit of the fun. It’s just like drinking beer now,” Potts adds. “Who cares?”

Dredging Great Barrier Reef approved

Photo:

On watching the Super Bowl abroad

Photo: Cliff

A couple of years ago, I was nursing a hangover in my London grad school dorm room and watching Friday Night Lights when my friend texted me this: “Hey, a friend of mine managed to get the Super Bowl playing in the common room, wanna come watch?”

I was more than happy to continue watching fictional football in my darkened room in sweatpants, but one of our British friends was coming over to watch his first Super Bowl, so I thought it would be shitty for me to flake. I put on real pants and a sweatshirt and wandered down into our building’s common room, where one of my neighbors, a Jersey girl, had put out a huge cheese-based snack spread and hooked up our crappy common television to a British pay-per-view station that was playing the game.

The problem is that watching the Super Bowl abroad is a sad echo of watching it at home. It’s like Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July — it can’t be replicated on foreign soil. If my Thanksgiving turkeys / football players haven’t been blasted out of their mind on medication and steroids at some point before being horribly mistreated for my personal enjoyment, what’s the point? If my Fourth of July celebrations / football games aren’t tinged with petty provincialism and xenophobia, why even have them? But I hadn’t been home in seven months, and I hadn’t watched a single football game all year, dammit, so my reservations took a back seat.

Our hostess was a die-hard Giants fan, and there were a few other New York fans in the room, but for the most part it was full of Brits and ambivalent homesick Americans like myself. And that doesn’t make for the best viewing crowd, in part because non-Americans are often justifiably offended that we have the nerve to call our sport football, when the much older global version of football clearly had dibs on the name, and clearly involves more foot-on-ball action.

To be fair, changing the meaning of words for no apparent reason is always kind of a dick move. If we’d said to them, “You call these bananas? We call them yellowsticks now. And we call apples bananas, because America,” the reaction would have been similar.

The only salvageable part of the Super Bowl abroad is the food.

These were friendly people, though, so instead of telling us our sport was a travesty, they simply commented on the inscrutability of the game, which was a bit much coming from a nation that invented cricket.

“Wait, what just happened…did that man score?”

“No. So if he’d caught the ball in the box, that would’ve been six points, unless they’d just gotten into the box the play before, in which case it would be two points, or one if they kicked it through the sticks. But it would’ve been three points if they’d kicked it through the sticks and no one had been in the box yet.”

“But why’s that guy celebrating?”

“Because he just made a catch.”

“Was it a particularly good catch?”

“Not really.”

“So why’s he running around screaming like he just won the game?”

“Because he’s an asshole.”

Once they’ve figured out the basic rules of the game — which most Americans still haven’t done — your foreign friends will start watching, but will get insanely frustrated by all of the commercials. This is the second most common complaint against American football: It’s boring. On this front, I feel like we have soccer beat — their games may only stop for commercials once, but they can also end in a score of 0-0. The start-and-stop of American football throws off most foreigners, though, which would make you think the Super Bowl, with its expensive and often amusing commercials, is the perfect game to start a Brit off with. “See?” you can say. “The commercials are part of the experience!”

But you don’t get the commercials when you’re watching the game abroad, unless you’re illegally streaming the game from an 8-inch laptop. Which, by the way, is unacceptable — the Super Bowl was not made to be watched by you in a darkened room like some common masturbator. No, what you get instead during the commercial breaks is a British soccer announcer discussing the last few plays with a burnt-out American football player you’ve never heard of who only took the job because he desperately needs the money for his concussion-related mental health treatments. It’s what football would be like if every announcer was Dan Dierdorf.

The only salvageable part of the Super Bowl abroad is the food. All Super Bowl food must, according to international law, be cheese or grease based. And all countries know the value of cheese. It’s what binds us as a species. Our host had arranged a glorious spread that, in the absence of an adequate game to distract me, I proceeded to gorge myself upon. Since I could hardly spend my time watching the game, I started talking to the hostess, and, two years later, we’re still together.

So the verdict for watching the Super Bowl abroad: not great for the Super Bowl. Not bad for falling in love. [image error]

Norwegians have the most sex, and ot

Beyond songs about fox sounds, and images of fjords, I don’t know much about Norway. This video, produced by Norwegian YouTube user jenspetter, provided answers to my questions such as “How did Norwegians become ace skiers?” and “Where do Norwegians lead in terms of recreational sex?” I’m also really glad my parents never read me Norwegian bedtime stories.

10 ways to improve your health

Photo: Jiuck

WHEN IT COMES to health, a lot of people like to make grand plans, perfectly scheduled programs, and lofty goals that — more often than not — won’t last. Our failure disheartens us and programs us to fear trying anything new. It’s a self-destructive pattern that’s difficult to break.

But what if you only had to focus on one thing? What if you could find success simply by doing one thing for your health? Today? Right now? A Lifestyle Transformation starts with a single choice, but can lead to huge results. So here are 10 options you can choose from.

1. Just move.

Stop reading this post and go for a 10-minute power walk. Come back when you’re done. Don’t worry; I’ll still be here, I’m patient, go ahead. You’ll thank me later.

Finished? Great. Feel better? You’re welcome.

Daily movement — even as simple as walking1 — is essential for health. When you move, your muscles act as pumps and circulate blood, nutrients, and oxygen throughout the body, making you feel good as a result. The connection between daily exercise and longevity is as certain as the sky being blue, but if you need more evidence, here are two studies for good measure2,3. Movement is important today, tomorrow, and every day for the rest of your life.

2. Smile.

Why does Snoop Dogg carry an umbrella? Fo’ drizzle.*

Did you hear about the Mexican train killer? He had loco-motives.*

Why don’t you ever see hippopotami hiding in trees? Because they’re really good at it.*

Did you smile? Oh well, I tried.

Even if you didn’t find those jokes funny, smile anyway. Even if it’s fake, your smile will reduce stress levels. That’s precisely what researchers learned in a study aimed at determining if smiling was good for your health. Short answer, it is. Smiling is associated with slowing the heart rate, reducing stress, and increasing happiness4. So even if you don’t feel like it, stretch those lips from ear to ear and fake it till you make it.

3. Sit quietly and breathe for 10 minutes.

Shhhh. Be quiet. Follow these instructions:

Close your eyes and just breathe.
Focus on your breath. Focus on your stomach expanding and contracting with each breath.
When your mind drifts towards the random and chaotic thoughts of your day, bring it back to the breath.
Repeat steps 2 & 3 until 10 minutes pass. This may happen a few…hundred times.

The benefits of meditation have been known and practiced for thousands of years, but they may be new to you, so here’s a recap. Meditation reduces anxiety, battles depression, and diminishes pain5. Meditation even impacts your genetic expression6, so it’s high time to schedule some ‘ommmm’ time into your day. It takes time to build a meditation practice. Start with manageable steps. Like 5 or 10 minutes.

4. Read something.

When it comes to your brain prowess, it’s ‘use it or lose it.’ Pick up a book, read an article, or browse through a newspaper. It really doesn’t matter what you choose as long as you’re reading.

Obviously, your interest level will determine how long you read, but the simple act of reading has been shown to improve social skills7, protect against Alzheimer’s8, and help prevent mental decline.

5. Lift something heavy.

Have you ever experienced the true ecstasy of lifting something heavy? You know, the type of heavy that makes you groan and make facial expressions you wouldn’t want to see posted as a selfie on your Instagram?

The excitement you’ll feel afterwards is only one of the associated benefits. Heavy resistance training, aka lifting heavy stuff, correlates with physiological and hormonal responses that improve the function of your nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, and even bone density9,10,11. Don’t be scared of lifting heavy. It can be uncomfortable if you’re new to it, but in the end, it’s good for you.

Side note: Keep good form and warm up first. Lifting heavy with bad form is asking for an injury.

6. get outside.

The benefits associated with daily sun exposure are much greater than the risks of overexposure, especially if you have a good sunscreen. This is mainly due to the vitamin D we get from the sun. Researchers found that the annual number of deaths due to cancer, multiple sclerosis, and even osteoporotic hip fracture could have been prevented with sufficient levels of vitamin D12. Sunshine has also been found to lower blood pressure and boost heart health13.

Getting outside is more than just getting sunlight. Spend time in parks, on hikes, and in nature. Research suggests taking time to step away from the asphalt-laden urban landscapes can improve mental health and battle depression14,15.

7. Hug someone.

It’s time to invade someone’s personal space! Researchers have found that popping your personal space bubble and hugging others impacts hormone production — namely of oxytocin, the happy hormone — and lowers blood pressure16. Hugging is an investment that keeps on giving. The more frequent the hugs, the greater the health benefits17. If you’re single, hug a stranger! It’s probably best you ask permission first.

8. Add sea salt to your water.

You need water for healthy body composition, energy, organ function, cellular integrity, and metabolism. Just drinking a big glass of water would provide an easy and effective strategy to improve your health right now, since most people don’t drink enough water.

Pinching a little Celtic or Himalayan Sea Salt into your drinking water takes it to the next level. The salt will aid with absorption as well as provide essential trace minerals. Just remember that regular table salt isn’t what you’re after here18. Go for Celtic or Himalayan Sea Salt. Mineral water will never be more cost-effective!

9. Straighten up.

Proper posture has healthy consequences. My guess is that you straightened up a little bit after reading that sentence. Good. You just did something for your health. Now just keep that posture going the rest of your day and you’ll be improving respiratory and digestive functions, as well as reducing muscular tension that could cause pain19,20.

Moving every day is important, but we spend so much more time sitting and standing (probably a lot more sitting) that focusing our attention on our posture during these static activities can have drastic and long-term effects on health.

10. Give something.

There’s hardly a substitute for the fulfillment experienced when giving to someone or some cause. When you’re busy helping and giving to others, you don’t have time to stress about some of the trivial and monotonous daily details currently invading your mental landscape. When you add in the appreciation and gratitude you receive from the other side, it’s no wonder many dedicate their lives to altruistic causes.

Exciting new research shows that giving behavior is also tremendously healthy, being associated with increased levels of happiness, lowered levels of depression, and even beneficial to those suffering from chronic diseases21. So do something or give something to someone and enjoy the health benefits associated with selflessness. [image error]

This post was originally published at Leaf Lifestyle and is reprinted here with permission.

* Joke credit: Christopher Hudspeth

1 Fortes, Cristina, et al. “Walking Four Times Weekly For At Least 15Min Is Associated With Longevity In A Cohort Of Very Elderly People.” Maturitas74.3 (2013): 246-251.

2 Gremeaux, Vincent, et al. “Exercise And Longevity.” Maturitas 73.4 (2012): 312-317.

3 “Staying Active And Social Prolongs Life Even After 75.” Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter 30.10 (2012): 3.

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1 secret to change the way you fly

Photo: José Manuel Ríos Valiente

I’m sure you’ve had it before. Some kind of questionable mystery meat served to you on an airplane. As you pull back the foil, you don’t know whether to eat it or gawk at it.

Well, I’m going to divulge my big little secret to you. It’s something I discovered on a long-haul flight to New Zealand, and since then has never steered me wrong.

My big little secret? Always order vegetarian or vegan on a long flight.

You know that little tick box as you’re booking your flight that asks if you have any special dietary requirements? I know the cavemen and women in all of us brush that off as a silly thing unless you’re truly vegetarian or vegan. But trust me on this one — you will thank me the next time you fly.

Why should you forgo the chicken, beef, and pork options they’ll offer you on a plane? It’s simple — they aren’t very healthy for you. On a 10+ hour flight, one is usually a tad bit more dehydrated than usual. The atmosphere in an airplane dries you out, continuously circulating air and sapping your body of all moisture. Plus, if you’re in a window seat or middle seat, you may drink a whole lot less because you don’t want to make people get up.

And that mystery meat? Usually pork, chicken, or some sort of meat that has sodium levels out the wazoo. Maybe even fish (I’d never choose that one). The salt content in airline meat and fish dishes have to be high to preserve the meals kept on board, and to, well, make them taste decent. It’s not like we’re getting Master Chef meals prepared for us.

There are so many things happening to your body while you cruise at 400mph, 36,000 feet in the air. Things are compressing. And the last thing you want to do is turn your stomach upside down too.

Photo: Author

“Oh, wow, I don’t feel so good now…” is something I’ve heard more than a few times on long-haul flights after someone eagerly digs into their pork with rice and devours it in minutes. We’re fiendish when the meals arrive because it’s exhausting flying.

Your body needs to replenish! You’re hungry because you’ve exuded tons of energy rushing around, packing, checking in, hauling luggage, going through security, boarding the plane, and then sitting stationary for 10+ hours — your body needs some good ole’ fuel.

The vegetarian meals I eat are composed of colorful, bright, hearty vegetables with fruit on the side. Usually salad as well. And don’t worry about getting full, typically it’s accompanied by some rice as a filler and some sort of grain like a wheat roll.

Most will have lima beans or similar to give you some protein. Steamed vegetables like carrots and cauliflower to boost your nutrients. Fruit to help keep your vitamin C levels high as people cough all around you. Dark greens like spinach to kick up your iron and energy.

The last thing you need is to put a bunch of processed meat with high sodium into your body.

Want to know another big little secret of why you should order vegetarian and vegan? You get served first.

And I’m not saying first right before everyone else. Every time I’ve pre-ordered vegetarian or vegan, when the meals come out I’ve consistently been served the meal a good 30-45 minutes before everyone else. Usually, I have time to eat my meal, get up and use the restroom, and come back way before everybody else gets theirs.

That way, you don’t have to sit there while everybody around you finishes eating, AND wait for the attendants to collect the trash. And by that time, everybody is already clamoring for the toilets.

It’s a win win baby.

Photo: Author

Save the meats for the real restaurants. By ordering vegetarian or vegan, you’ll be giving your body all the things it need, not simultaneously zapping it with sodium, and you’ll get to eat far sooner than others.

Now you know my big little secret when flying. Keep it on the hush-hush — I won’t be eating first anymore if everybody catches on! [image error]

Ex-TSA screener confirms yr fears

Photo Credit: Travelin’ Librarian via Compfight cc

BASICALLY I’ll JUST GIVE YOU THE HIGHLIGHT REEL below, or better yet, just skip directly to Jason Edward Harrington’s confessional over at Politico.

Most of the absurdities Harrington describes, like viewing bodies “of overweight people, their every fold and dimple on full awful display,” aren’t all that surprising:

I confiscated jars of homemade apple butter on the pretense that they could pose threats to national security. I was even required to confiscate nail clippers from airline pilots—the implied logic being that pilots could use the nail clippers to hijack the very planes they were flying.

Nor is the fact that the original scanners were total failures:

Officers discovered that the machines were good at detecting just about everything besides cleverly hidden explosives and guns. The only thing more absurd than how poorly the full-body scanners performed was the incredible amount of time the machines wasted for everyone.

And perhaps it’s not surprising to learn how soul-crushing it was to be on the other side of the security line either:

Once, in 2008, I had to confiscate a bottle of alcohol from a group of Marines coming home from Afghanistan. It was celebration champagne intended for one of the men in the group—a young, decorated soldier. He was in a wheelchair, both legs lost to an I.E.D., and it fell to me to tell this kid who would never walk again that his homecoming champagne had to be taken away in the name of national security.

But what really resonated with me was Harrington’s fears about speaking out, and then overcoming those fears to start his blog, to take on a mission to reveal the whole airport security “show” for the theater that it was.

This is why I have faith in people, never in institutions.

Be polite in those TSA lines; remember that people in those uniforms are just that, people. But by all means opt out of the radiation. You’re a person too.