​Auto silence is a behavior people engage in when they’re afraid to express their real emotions. If properly externalized, they worry their feelings may affect their relationships with people close to them in some way, such as family members, friends, or employers. They choose auto silence because they dread having to start a disagreement, being the cause of an argument, or even breaking up a relationship.

​The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) conducted a study where they evaluated 304 married women who were near or after menopause. They reported experiencing certain feelings about putting someone else’s needs before their own, such as self-silencing, to avoid damaging a relationship. This type of behavior was met with bouts of constipation, an increase in cholesterol levels, depression, and obesity.

​One of the points that researchers measured was the frequency at which these women experienced anger or euphoria outbursts. They addressed these as moments when they were able to let their emotions out by raising the volume of their voice and verbally stating what made them feel frustrated. Those who showed this behavior more often registered as having better health than those who didn’t. They also experienced the psychological benefits of preventing the repression of these emotional states.

​Maintaining a facade of joy and calm doesn’t mean that this state is real. It’s a behavior that’s related to a greater sensitivity to rejection. A permanent state of alert that triggers the levels of stress are closely associated with the decrease of life expectancy in both men and women worldwide. During these episodes, blood pressure and glucose levels rise, so the chance of developing a cardiovascular condition increases.

​Although raising our voices from time to time to let go of negative emotions can be liberating, we must also consider that it enables us to say things that don’t help our relationships. In another experiment carried out with cancer patients, women showed some improvements by openly expressing their emotions. On the contrary, progress slowed when negative feelings were prevalent. For this reason, it’s good to keep in mind that showing respect for you and those around you is essential to maintain a healthier body and relationships.

​Those that are chronically late are perceived as less responsible than those who aren’t, but the good side of being late is that you’ll probably live longer. The reason why is explained by the experts at Harvard Medical School who state that people who are running late all the time are more likely to be more relaxed in life than those who are always on time.

Chronically late people don’t allow things like deadlines or time crunches to dictate their mood, and as a result, they feel less stressed out. Unlike people who are always on time, tardy people don’t allow time to stress them out. As a result, these people have fewer chances of suffering from stress-related health issues, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases.

​Being late is also associated with optimism and higher levels of enthusiasm. That’s because people who are running late often think that they can cross off an entire to-do list of errands, workouts, or whatever else, and still manage to get to their appointment on time. Even though their time estimates are often wrong, their optimistic outlook on life has some really important long-term benefits.

As the Harvard study suggests, optimistic people are happier overall since they always find a way to look at the bright side of life (pun intended). And, according to experts, having a positive attitude toward life can also improve your health and allow you to live longer, since optimism is suggested to protect the heart and aid circulation.

​Being late is an indicator of higher intelligence. A study that was run by psychologist Jeff Conte suggests that people who are always late tend to multi-task, which indicates that they may be better at problem-solving when faced with a challenge.

Chronically late people are also capable of coming up with good solutions faster because they’re more used to thinking on their feet and always seem to face deadlines. This makes them more productive than people who always strive to get somewhere on time.

​To sum it up, those who are always late are less stressed out, they are happier, and it seems that they are smarter. And given that those who are more relaxed are less likely to suffer from stress-related illnesses, it seems that running late helps you live longer, so don’t give yourself a hard time next time you are late to something.

That being said, always being late is not encouraged, and people who are always running late should really work on improving this habit, but it’s good to know that there is an upside to tardiness.

​By using different colors, the creators of this movie highlight people’s feelings and show us how modern society affects the quality of our lives. Basically, the paler a person becomes, the less happy they are, much like how we feel and interpret emotions in real life.

This short film also shows how people can change their colors, and change their lives for the better by spending more time on the little things that bring happiness and joy, rather than just working hard to appease the standard set by modern-day societies.

​In the short film, whenever the kid tries to get in touch with his creative side, he’s reminded that he shouldn’t pay much attention to his creativity and only follow the rules set by society. Sadly, that is how most creative thinkers are treated in this world, and those who end up following their dreams are considered the odd ones out.

And just like most fathers, the father portrayed in this short film tries to teach his son the true value of life. Even though the father tries to teach his son the right way of living, he is the one that ends up learning a valuable lesson about life.

​The storyline of Alike tries to point out that following the rules and the path laid out by society doesn’t necessarily bring happiness. Even though rules are meant to be followed, we shouldn’t forget to make room for other things that bring joy to our lives.

What most of us fail to realize is that embracing the quirky, weird things that make us who we are is important. So is following our passion, not giving up on our dreams, and doing more of what we love.

​Inspired by their own fatherhood experience, the directors of this film, Daniel Martínez Lara and Rafa Cano Méndez, decided to embark on a 4-year-long journey of hard work in order to create this 7-minute animated film. Their goal was to show that even though we always want what’s best for our children, we sometimes make mistakes.

Through this short animated film, they want to tell us that instead of teaching kids to suppress their creativity, we should encourage them to embrace their unique quirks, and allow them to create their own journey in life.

​We spend a big chunk of our time with random people, acquaintances, or strangers. Whether it is at work or at school, we often have to put on a happy face in front of others and be at our politest behavior, simply because we want to appear kind and cultured in front of others. But when we come home or when we’re in the company of people we’re close to, we loosen up right away.

We feel more comfortable being ourselves with the people we love. But being ourselves means showing every side of our character, including the bad side. And, a study confirms that we are prone to unconsciously releasing our anger toward the people we feel closest to because we believe that our relationship with them is strong enough to endure it. The closer we get to someone, and the more trust we’ve established, the more we feel like we can push the limits of that relationship.

​When we meet new people, we don’t really show our true colors. They simply don’t get to see the real version of us until we get to the point where we develop a deeper connection with them. Even if something is bothering us about them, we won’t make a big deal out of it because we’re not relaxed with that person and we don’t know how they will respond.

The same doesn’t go for the people closest to us. On the contrary, when our loved ones do something that we find irritating, we feel more comfortable enough to bring it up. In fact, because we are so close to our family members or significant others, we are more likely to be open about the things we dislike about them. With them, we have developed a kind of relationship that we know won’t get jeopardized, even if we yell and fight with each other on occasion.

​You don’t suddenly start hating certain characteristics about your roommate, your family members, or your best friend. Even if it feels like it, what’s happening is that you stopped tolerating things that you didn’t like about them in the first place. The more time you spend with someone, the less tolerant you become of their negative quirks.

This doesn’t happen with strangers because you don’t spend enough time with them to develop this intolerance for their personal characteristics. Even if something bothers you about them, you don’t say it because you know you won’t have to spend enough time with them for it to matter.

As you can see, there is a reason why we treat the people that we love less kindly than strangers. Now that we know why we behave the way we do with our loved ones compared to strangers, let’s see what we can do to prevent this kind of behavior in the future:

• Take a break from your loved ones when needed. If we spend too much time with the people we love, we might find ourselves being less and less tolerant about their quirks. Spending some time away from them will allow us to reflect on the relationship with a fresh perspective and appreciate the good in our loved ones.
• Spend time with your loved ones in the company of others. When we’re in the company of people who we have a brief and superficial relationship with, we find ourselves behaving more politely and kindly, and this applies to our loved ones as well. That way, we can both observe each other when we are on our best behavior.

By learning why we behave the way we do, hopefully, we’ll be able to control our reactions the next time we want to lash out at our loved ones and appreciate their presence in our lives.

• You can find the Ren 6, Ren 4, and Ren 3 points about 1, 2, and 3 inches below your belly button.
• The Ki 16 points are located on either side of your belly button, about 0.5 inches away from it.
• The Zigong points can be found on both sides of your tummy 3 inches below your belly button and 2 inches to either side.

Place 2 fingers on the point and gently massage the area. Then, press and hold it for a couple of minutes. Repeat with each point.

• The most effective position to do the massage in is lying down on your back in a bed or on the floor. You can also do it when standing in front of a mirror.
• Never perform the massage right after eating.
• For the best results, massage your belly twice a day — before breakfast and just before bed.
• To enhance the effect, try to use a mix of grapefruit and cypress essential oils when performing the massage.

Warning: Don’t do the massage if you’re experiencing pain in your stomach or suffering from diseases like blood clots in your legs or heart, kidney failure, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, endometriosis, or inflammatory infections.

​In case you needed any more reasons to love this wonderful fruit, avocado also fights migraines. Rich in antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, avocados can not only make your severe headache go away, consuming them can also keep them at bay.

​Figs are good for our bodies by default, but they also come in handy when dealing with migraines. According to experts, the fruit contains potassium which helps in reducing inflammation and keeping headaches away.

​Full of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B-2, consuming salmon prevents your platelets from clumping, a process which is responsible for frequent headaches. It also decreases inflammation and helps you fight migraines overall.

​Sweet potatoes are not only yummy, but they also help you fight migraines. Rich in vitamin C, vitamin B1, and potassium, consuming sweet potatoes when you are suffering from a headache will reduce the pain and calm you down.

​Since it helps to drink water when you are suffering from migraines, consuming foods like watermelons, carrots, cucumber, and celery can also work in your favor. Dehydration is one of the leading causes of headaches, be sure to keep your water level in check.

​In addition to all their other health benefits, quinoa and kale also help in preventing migraines. Containing riboflavin, magnesium, and iron, quinoa keeps migraines away, whereas kale has omega-3 and fiber, making it your best defense against throbbing migraines.

​According to studies, riboflavin, a part of vitamin B, is most effective against migraines and yogurt is rich in it. Add yogurt to your daily diet if you suffer from migraine attacks often and watch the results.

​Containing a high amount of vitamin C, lemon juice is known for its health benefits and fighting migraine happens to be one of them. Whenever you are suffering from a throbbing headache, simply mix some lemon juice in a glass of water, add 2 teaspoons of salt, and gulp down this magic potion. It will reduce inflammation and make you feel better in no time.

​Take some cinnamon sticks and grind them into a powder. Then, proceed to add a little water to it, turning it into a thick paste. Apply this paste on your temples and forehead whenever you have a migraine attack. This natural home remedy fights migraines and soothes the pain. Wash the paste off after 25-30 minutes.

​If that’s the way you clasp your hands, then you are highly likely to be a practical person. You are someone who never makes decisions in the heat of the moment. Before arriving at a conclusion, you weigh the pros and cons. It is also very difficult to deceive you. You have an innate quality to see through the lies of other people.

For these reasons, you are highly valued by your friends and family members, who often come to you to seek your advice. And more often than not, you advise wisely. But all of this does not mean that you are a serious person. On the contrary, your wit can lighten up even the gloomiest of places. Your quirky sense of humor makes you a people magnet in social gatherings.

You are also a romantic who knows exactly how to handle courtships. You know precisely what to say and when to say it.

​You are someone who believes that the devil lies in the details. You are a perfectionist and expect the same level of dedication and concentration from others as well. Leadership comes naturally to you, and you always lead by example. But that doesn’t mean that you are not considerate about the needs and circumstances of other people.

You always hear the opinion of other people and try to understand their point of view before arriving at a decision. Your frankness, honesty, and sincerity can sometimes be disarming to some people, but these are the same qualities that endear you to many others.

In relationships, as well, you value frankness and honesty, and you never shy away from speaking your mind nor do you stop your beloved from doing so.

​If you are someone who prefers to keep your right thumb on top of your left one while clasping your fingers, then you are a person with a high emotional quotient. You are able to understand what a person is feeling even when they might be trying to hide their real emotions. This unique ability makes it easy for others to open up to you.

This ability also provides you with a perspective that others cannot see, helping you think outside the box and enabling you to make the correct decisions. Although making decisions after emotionally weighing all the other aspects sometimes takes time. Your ability to understand deep emotions and provide warmth draws people toward you.

In relationships, you understand the unspoken feelings of your partner. You will never have problems catering to all their emotional needs.

Without making a conscious effort, clasp your fingers and tell us which of the above-described people you are.

​A research conducted by an exercise physiologist at Loughborough University, in the UK, showed that men who took a one-hour bath with water at 40°C (104°F) burned around 140 calories. It also showed that the hot bath reduced their peak blood sugar levels more efficiently than exercising, which is particularly beneficial to people with type 2 diabetes.

​The key here is time and temperature. Ideally, you would need to bathe for one hour, so a little free time on your schedule is necessary. Also, the water temperature should be at a constant 40°C. You probably wouldn’t get the same results from a lukewarm bath.

​The experiment was conducted only on men, so women may respond differently and might not burn as many calories as men do. The results depend on the weight and the body type of the person, and for those reasons, it’s difficult to predict the outcome.

​Scientists believe this technique works because our body produces so-called “heat shock proteins” when the body temperature rises. It happens when a person exercises, but it turns out that passive heating can have the same effect on its own as well. Heat shock proteins are released in response to stress, so they contribute to the regulation of blood sugar levels and can help manage a healthy weight.

​Unfortunately, a hot bath can’t be a substitute for exercise or be as effective as working out. For example, you can burn around 630 calories by cycling for the same amount of time. Keeping your body active also has other benefits to your health, including the prevention of many serious diseases like stroke, high blood pressure, and psychological disorders.

​Taking a one-hour hot bath can be great as a complementary activity for when you are unable to properly exercise and for people who need to control their blood glucose levels. A balanced diet and regular exercise are paramount to a healthy life, but it’s always useful to discover new ways we can improve our well-being. When it involves an easy, no-hassle, relaxing activity, that is even better.

Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormone, and it may lead to cold intolerance. The thyroid hormones help to regulate metabolism and temperature, and when we lack them, we start feeling cold all the time. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism may include fatigue and a low heart rate.

How to fix it: Visit a doctor. A medical examination can help to find out whether you’ve got the necessary amount of thyroid hormones in your body.

Water boosts your metabolism, helping your body to break down food and create energy and heat. If you’re dehydrated you may lack that heat and energy that will warm up your body.

How to fix it: Make sure you’re drinking enough water. If you’re not a fan of clear water and find it tasteless, there’s a number of ways to add flavor to it: lemon, mint, basil, cucumber, and anything else you can think of.

Anemia is another medical condition that can make you feel cold in your hands and feet. Anemia occurs when your body lacks the red blood cells that deliver oxygen to your organs and tissues. There is iron-deficiency anemia that occurs during pregnancy, menstruation, or blood loss or due to poor iron absorption, and vitamin-deficiency anemia caused by poor nutrition. Other symptoms of anemia include pale skin, increased heart rate, fatigue, and headaches.

How to fix it: If you suspect you might have anemia, you need to see your doctor and have the necessary tests done.

Good sleep is extremely important for regulating body temperature, so, if you keep shivering from cold, the reason may be quite simple.

How to fix it: Reconsider your daily schedule and make sure there is enough time for sleep so you can recharge your batteries.

Raynaud’s Phenomenon, or simply Raynaud’s, is easy to recognize: it makes your fingers or toes turn white or blue. It is a rare disorder that affects the arteries, reducing the blood flow to fingers and toes and making them feel cold. During the onset, when the blood flow is reduced, fingers and toes become pale or blue, and as blood returns they become red again and start feeling numb or painful.

How to fix it: Visit a doctor. Raynaud’s may be triggered by cold temperature, stress, contact with some chemicals, and other factors. The treatment includes medicines, surgery, and lifestyle changes that help to eliminate the triggers.

​In the picture above, the right hand belongs to a person with Raynaud’s.

When you’re underweight you just don’t have enough body fat to insulate you from the cold. If you are losing weight on purpose and cutting down on calories or simply not eating enough, this may break your metabolism and affect your temperature regulation.

How to fix it: Consider eating a healthy and balanced diet that suits your age and health condition.

Peripheral artery disease may cause arteries to fail at delivering blood to organs and tissues, making us feel cold. When plaque accumulates in the arteries (atherosclerosis) it makes arteries narrower, affecting the blood flow to hands and feet, causing coldness and numbness.

How to fix it: Visit a doctor. The treatment for peripheral artery disease includes lifestyle changes (like quitting smoking, for example) and medical treatment, including surgery in some cases.

As you can see, feeling cold all the time may have several underlying medical conditions, and seeing a doctor is the best option. While you’re waiting for your visit, here are a few tips on how to warm up your body:

• Try to retain your body heat and wear layered clothes. Choose inner layers of woolen and polypropylene fabric.
• Drink more warm beverages like tea and hot chocolate.
• Avoid spending too much time outdoors in cold weather until you know the reason for your condition.

​Studies have shown that women tend to feel colder than men, and that a comfortable room temperature for women is 77°F, while for men it is 71.6°F. Science has several explanations for this phenomenon. Estrogen, the female hormone, slightly thickens the blood, which can result in reduced blood flow to the capillaries. The metabolism rate can also play a role: women tend to have a lower metabolic rate than men, burning less calories to warm up their bodies. So, if you’re a man and you notice your female partner secretly turns on the heat every now and then, you know why.

​Modern parents try too hard to be independent when it comes to raising their kids and think that other people trying to help are overstepping their boundaries, even if it’s their kids’ grandparents. Older generations, by contrast, knew that a community needed to be involved with a child’s life. This teaches children to have respect for other adults in their life. Otherwise, they grow up thinking that they shouldn’t have any emotional connection to other people in the community.

​Often, when children misbehave, we tolerate it because they might be too young to understand their actions. We feel children are naive and innocent through and through, but that’s not giving them enough credit. Children are quick learners, so it’s important that we correct bad behavior soon enough so they realize certain habits are wrong.

​Years ago, children were lucky enough to be allowed to listen to the radio on car trips and had to wake up early on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons. Nowadays, kids have tablets, iPods and more, and can enjoy their favorite music, films, and television shows without waiting long at all.

The drawback with such convenience is that with all this entertainment, parents don’t have to interact with their children as much they used to. Children need to develop a human relationship and can’t risk becoming too independent at a young age.

​Modern parents have learned to give their children more credit and value their opinions. While this isn’t a bad thing in itself, it can get too excessive. Children should be indulged in ways that respect the fact that they won’t be children forever. When you give them more privilege, make sure it comes with more responsibility. If they’re involved with extracurricular activities, let them know that some aspects of it, like getting ready, are up to them to do.

​Children are supposed to be the center of their parents’ lives, but parents also need time for themselves. Not only is this healthy for the parents, but children also need to understand parents have needs to appease their own moral development. Parents have to make clear that they don’t exist just for their kids and kids will learn that everyone needs to be treated with care and respect.