What’s the most influential word in the English language?

Hey you. That’s the most influential word in the English language, according to a recent Yale study. 

You need to use it to get what you want. Its power is two-fold. It suggests empathy when you need the other person to feel you’re taking their position into account. And when you are the you, it puts your needs and wants in the forefront. Some other power words include:

• Because. This cause-and-effect word satisfies a craving for reason.

• Instantly. Humans love immediate results and instantly does the trick.

• Guarantee. It’s verbal security and reassurance – and we all like that.

• Imagine. Throw that one in when you would like someone to consider the possibilities as opposed to the facts.

If you like smoothies – use a straw!

Real fruit and vegetable smoothies can be a great for you – but they can be rough on your teeth! 

Whether you enjoy smoothies on a regular basis, or just as a treat, you really should drink them through a straw. According to Dentist Graham Chadwick, the acids in the fruits and veggies can weaken enamel. It’s also a good idea to drink or rinse with some water after a smoothie. Don’t brush your teeth for at least half an hour to avoid doing more damage.

Of the 982 million Twitter accounts, the most common tweet is...

It seems that of the 982 million Twitter accounts out there, 44% of them are Tweeting the exact same thing – nothing. 

Just 30% of users have sent between one and ten tweets and only 13% are considered really active with 100 or more tweets.

With so many accounts, some of the other averages are surprisingly low. The average number of followers per tweeter is 71. The average number of following is 68 and the average number of tweets per active account is just 441.

If you need a really good night’s sleep – grab some salt.

If you could use some help falling to sleep and staying asleep – salt your feet. 

According to Lindsay Duncan, a naturopathic doctor, it can really do the trick. By soaking your feet in hot water and sea salt for about 20 minutes before bed, you can restore the bodies alkaline. She says a typical diet has too much processed food and other elements that throw off our pH and interfere with quality sleep. 

For the foot bath, any sea salt will do but Lindsay prefers Dead Sea salt because it has a high concentration of magnesium to relax the nervous system. Add about a half cup to a foot basin or bucket filled with hot water. Have some more hot water handy to keep it warm for 20 minutes.

Who’s better at grocery shopping – men or women?

How does your significant other do in the supermarket department? 

A recent survey by Consumer Reports found that men and women have significantly different shopping styles when it comes to food – and their spouses have some definite peeves:

• Half of the men complained the woman spends too much.

• The women claim their men are too impulsive and don’t make lists.

• The men say their women take too long to make up their minds.

• The women accuse the men of buying too many treats.

• The men feel the women skimp on treats.

• Women skimp on the treats and don’t buy enough.

Can you guess the most looked at photo in the world?

The most looked at photo in the world is not the grainy Loch Ness Monster, the Afghan girl or even the first steps on the moon. 

Experts say it’s most likely Bliss – the default scene on Microsoft Windows XP released in 2001. As of 2006, there were over 400 million copies in use. It is estimated that more than one billion people around the world have viewed it, multiple times. 

That iconic serene green pasture with puffy white clouds in a bright blue sky was not computer generated. It’s the real deal. It was taken by Charles O’Rear in 1996 in Sonoma County, California, southeast of Sonoma Valley. O’Rear was en route to Marin when he decided to pull over to the shoulder of Highway 121. He slipped through a wire fence and took the shot.

Can’t get that annoying song out of your head? The cure for earworms...

Most of us have been infested by an earworm at one time or another. 

That annoying song you just can’t get out of your head. There are a few remedies for earworms. Dr. Fredric Neuman, Director of the Anxiety and Phobia Center at White Plains Hospital, says you need to find that song and listen to the whole thing to get rid of it once and for all. If you can’t find the song, at least try to play it out in it’s entirety in your head. Trying to resist that tune only makes it worse.

The psychological term for earworms is the Zeigarnik Effect, or the tendency to experience intrusive thoughts about an objective that was once pursued and left incomplete. It’s human nature for the brain to want to finish what it started. 

On the top 10 earworm list are Lady Gaga with Just Dance, Beyonce’s Single Ladies, Train’s Hey Soul Sister, Abba with Waterloo, David Bowie’s Changes, The Village People’s YMCA, Queen with We Will Rock You, Baha Men with Who Let the Dogs Out, Disney’s It’s a Small World and The Tokens The Lion Sleeps Tonight. You're welcome.

If you hate to exercise – it could be genetic.

Some people love to exercise. Some people loathe it. 

New research is suggesting that some of us are just born that way - with an aversion to exertion. The theory was tested on rats. A few generations of them were separated into two groups. One group couldn’t wait to get on that wheel and run, while the others preferred to sit back and watch, avoiding the wheel at all costs. 

If you were born with an aversion to running the wheel, there’s hope for you yet. The laid-back rats that were forced to use the wheel actually started to like it after a while. It turns some wheel action started to change their brain activity and their lack of interest in exercise and the researchers say it can work for people too.

Going to the dog park? Mind your dog park manners.

If you take your dog to a dog park – you’ve probably got some pet peeves. 

Dog parks are great for you and your pooch and can be a great place to socialize. But it’s important to mind your dog park manners while you’re there. The basic rules are probably posted and you need to follow them – but there are some unwritten rules you’ll want to consider if to keep you and your best friend in the popular crowd:



• Call your dog away from the gate while other dogs are entering or leaving. Don’t burden other people with trying to keep your dog in.

• If you get caught up in conversation, keep your eye on your dog’s location, body language and interaction with other dogs and people.

• It’s okay if your dog barks, snarls or even snaps at other dogs. That’s a normal part of their socializing. Just be prepared to step in if it starts escalating.

• Any aggressive behavior towards a human requires your immediate attention.

• If your dog is sick, has a parasite or fleas, find somewhere else to play until he or she is back to normal.

• Avoid disciplining someone else’s dog unless it’s a real safety issue.

• Please don’t bring people food to the dog park. And don’t hand out dog treats either.

• If your dog wears a chain or spiked collar – take that off at the park. Dogs love to roughhouse and someone could get hurt.

• If you’ve got small children, keep THEM on a short leash. It’s really best to play somewhere else. Dogs and dog owners need a place they can run free without worrying about little ones getting hurt or frightened.

Do you go to bed early, or late? What that says about your sex life...

What’s your normal bedtime? 

If it’s really late, you’re more likely to have an active sex life – however, you’re less likely to be in a long-term relationship. A recent University of Chicago looked at the bedtimes and sex lives of both men and women and found a distinct correlation. Those who stay up late on a regular basis are more likely to be risk-takers, adventurous, more sexually active and less likely to be in serious, long-term relationships.

Men and women with earlier bed times probably get more quality sleep. They may be less sexually active but do tend to have better luck in long-term and lasting relationships. 

Is someone you love a complainer? Set a timer.

If someone you love or care about is a chronic complainer – give them three minutes. 

That’s it. You’re going to have to politely remove yourself from the complaining conversation after that. Chronic complainers can suck the energy and good mood right out of you and you need to take control for your own sake. According to Judy Kuriansky, author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to a Healthy Relationship,” Complainers often feel unhappy, lonely, criticized or misunderstood and it’s not your place to solve their problems or change their personality. 

After about three minutes of allowing them to air their grievances, try explaining to them that you sympathize and then ask if you can talk about something more pleasant for a while. If that doesn’t work, it’s time to go. If your complainer is a reasonable person, they’ll get the message after a few times and maybe even tailor their complaint sessions with you.

Paper shredders aren’t as secure as you might think.

If you use a paper shredder for sensitive documents, that might not be enough. 

Just ask a criminal, journalist or investigator. They have some fancy methods and tools to help put those shreds back together. There are a few steps you can take to make your shredding more secure: 

• Shred multiple, similar documents together to make reassembly much more difficult.

• Be sure to feed documents into the shredder so that the text is opposing the blades – to avoid leaving shreds of complete words and sentences. 

• Cross-cut shredders are much more secure. They shred paper into smaller pieces as opposed to long strips. 

How can you take a better selfie? Let’s ask the guy who invented the term...

You know what a selfie is – but do you know Jim Krause? 

He’s a designer, a photographer, an illustrator and a writer, and he coined the term selfie. He’s been taking selfies since before facebook or smartphones even existed and has got some tips on how to do it right:

• Pay attention to what’s behind and around you in the scene – background is everything. Imagine if the Mona Lisa were painted in front of a boring backdrop! You can change the mood by framing yourself in a doorway, or against an interesting pattern or texture. There’s so much opportunity to explore the background, and you can make fine adjustments while you’re looking in the lens.

• Watch where the flash is going off. If the light’s in your eyes, you’re going to have an over-exposed picture. If you’d like to wash out wrinkles or imperfections, that’s okay.

• Try converting yourself to black and white and experiment with different effects. 

The important thing is to give your viewers something interesting to look at – other than you. It can be a great backdrop, angle or prop. Have some fun experimenting and getting to know yourselfie. 

Is brown sugar healthier than white?

What’s your go-to sweetener? 

If you opt for brown sugar instead of white because you think it’s healthier, it’s not. It’s just white sugar mixed with molasses and has the same nutritional value and one calorie more per teaspoon. The same goes for honey. It’s not all that much healthier, but it is sweeter by weight so you can get away with using a little less. 

Some people opt for agave nectar to sweeten things up. That’s not much healthier either. It’s higher in fructose than other natural sugars. Stevia is another option. That’s got no calories and it’s much sweeter than sugar. However, it can trigger a reaction in people who are allergic to ragweed and could interact with diabetes and blood pressure drugs.

Use your blinkers today – and not the ones on your car.

If you spend time on a computer, device, reading or watching TV each day – you’re not blinking enough. 

Dry eye syndrome is reaching epidemic proportions and electronics are often to blame. When we’re focusing on anything, we blink much less than we should and it’s really hard on the eyes. Not blinking enough causes precious moisture and oils to evaporate, leaving our eyes fatigued and stressed.

For those who log a lot of screen or reading time, taking blink breaks should be part of a daily routine. Shut your eyes for ten seconds twice an hour and move them around under the lids. A warm, wet compress at the end of the day will soothe the eyes too and help to unclog the all-important tear ducts. Adding oily fish such as tuna or salmon into your diet can also help moisturize the eyes from the inside out.