​No one will argue with the fact that cats’ behavior isn’t even close to what we see in dogs. While dogs spend all day at the front door waiting for us, wagging their tails so fast it seems they are going to fly, cats often show no affection at all. They ask for food and enjoy their proud solitude in a dark corner. But scientists suggest that these differences don’t prove that cats don’t like us and only tolerate us as their humble servants.

To prove this, researchers performed several tests with cats. First of all, they isolated all of them for 2.5 hours. Then, they put each cat into a room filled with objects from 4 different categories — food, toys, scent (for example, catnip), and human interaction (like petting or playing). The cats were free to go in any direction they wanted.

​At this point we thought that the cats wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation and would go for the catnip, or at least the food. But the further we read, the more surprised we were. Social interaction with humans happened to be the most-preferred category for the majority of cats.

We feel the need to mention that treats fell into second place. This means that the widespread belief that cats like food more than us, may not be completely true.

​So, it seems that cats really do care about us. Yes, they show it in their own, dignified or restrained way, but it’s their special love note. Remember all the times they exposed their bellies to you, gave you affection bites or playful claws.

It’s crucial to note that this wasn’t a very huge study. The scientists accepted that different cats can react in various ways. But now we know that friendly and affectionate cats at least exist.

​Does your cat love you or think about you as a meal ticket? Show us photo proof in the comments!

When trying to gain muscle, start in the kitchen. What and how much you eat can help make or break the difference when trying to bulk up:
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• The word “diet” might make you think you need to cut back on eating to get in shape, but when gaining muscle, you might need to increase your intake. If you normally consume around 2,000 calories a day, try adding around 500. In addition to that, growing muscles will help boost your metabolism, requiring you to eat more.
• That said, you should eat protein to support muscle gain, around 2 to 4 grams per kilograms of your own body weight. Try foods that are high in protein, like eggs, lentils, oats, or Greek yogurt. Alternatively, you can also try protein drinks.

Exercise is important, but you need to make sure to focus on both general exercise and exercises concentrated on working your muscles.
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• Start with basic exercises and warm-ups, like short runs or lifting small weights. Not only does this prepare your body, it also puts you in the right mental state for exercise.
• As the word “general” suggests, make sure you are performing exercises that work your whole body, which can include pull-ups, push-ups, rowing, and lifting.

As mentioned, you need to perform exercises that focus on specific muscle areas:
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• Divide your daily workout routine into different exercises, making sure to focus on specific muscle regions either per day or per week. Ultimately, by the end of the week or even day, you will have given all of your muscles attention, just at different times. If you worked your upper body, make sure to work your lower body soon afterward. In other words, don’t forget “leg day.”

Here’s a sample schedule you can use to balance out your workout in just 5 days.

• Monday: Work your chest and biceps.
• Tuesday: Work your legs and triceps.
• Wednesday: Work your back.
• Thursday: Work your abdominals/core.
• Friday: Work your torso area.
• Saturday: Rest. Like we said above, overdoing can hurt you in the long run and what better time to rest than the weekend.
• Sunday: Rest. After all, it’s still the weekend.

Keep in mind, the days of the week are just a suggestion. You can rearrange the schedule to make it fit better with your lifestyle. If you normally have a lot of free time on Saturday, but not on Wednesday, use Wednesday instead of Saturday as one of your rest days.

Likewise, for days when you do more than one exercise, you can arrange it your way. Some people might combine chest with quads; others might combine chest with back exercises.

​Regardless of if you realize it or not, our subconscious mind captures exactly who we are, it can’t be fooled or compromised. Your eyes see an overall image, but your mind prioritizes what matches your feelings and what’s bothering you the most at this particular moment.

​If you spotted the panthers first, the biggest reason for your stress is your personal relationship. You feel that you are losing the connection with your loved one and sometimes you are not even sure where your relationship is going. Bring back the memories of how you felt when you just started your relationship, and maybe all you need to do is just talk about what’s bothering you. Communication is often the key to solving personal issues.

​If you saw the lions first, you struggle to deal with all the responsibilities that you have been carrying for a long time. You are so used to taking care of everything and looking after everyone, that you’ve started forgetting yourself.

Your family and friends think that you are incredibly tough and can handle anything, but you feel that you are on the edge and any little thing can become the last straw. You know, there’s nothing wrong with being a bit selfish every now and then and maybe it’s time to spoil yourself and get recharged.

​If the first animals you saw were the zebras, your biggest concern is about your health or the health of someone in your family. Worrying a little bit about health is actually a good thing because it encourages us to have a healthier lifestyle, however, if it turns into health anxiety, it might become a serious problem. There is no point in worrying about something you can’t control or change, keep your life at a healthy level and enjoy it.

​If the giraffes are the first animals you saw, you concerned about your job and feel very insecure financially. Unfortunately, these days many people have to deal with long-term pressure at work and when the economy slows down it becomes even harder, as the job market gets more competitive.

On the other hand, technology is developing so fast that we all constantly have to learn something new to keep up. If you feel that your job is changing and requires some new skills that you are not very confident about, be honest with yourself, find what you might be lacking, and work on it.

​If the blue bird was the first thing you spotted, you feel a bit lost and lonely. In modern society, we mainly connect through texting, emails, and shared pictures. Which is great, however, many people are so used to virtual communication that they don’t feel comfortable actually talking to someone. And when they feel isolated and lonely, they just don’t know how to break this pattern.

​If you saw the 2 birds first, you feel a bit lonely. You want to talk to someone about your feelings but don’t feel comfortable because you think that they’re too insignificant. Don’t bottle your feelings and trust your friends and family — if it bothers you, it’s significant enough. You have always been a very independent person and over the years learned how to save face.

That’s why your friends may not even realize that you need them right now. Keep in mind, sharing feelings does not equal weakness.

Vaghinak Byurat was one of the brightest representatives of the very educated people of Constantinople at that time and was planning a business trip to America, where he had to take a large batch of books. This is why he bought his tickets for the Titanic.

​He survived and saw the sinking of the Titanic with his own eyes. But his version is different.

Chahen Khachatourian knew Vaghinak, and interviewed him in person. He later wrote about the story of what happened on the ship. Byurat lived a long life and often talked about the sinking of the Titanic. The most interesting thing was that he never mentioned an iceberg. Instead Byurat would always talk about an explosion that led to the sinking of the ship.

This witness would probably have been blown off if other survivors hadn’t also stepped up and talked about explosions too.

​Other survivors claimed that there had been 2-4 explosions on the Titanic. It’s no wonder that in a panic, they might have gotten the story twisted. Researcher and author Bill Wormstedt also provided some evidence about this fact which he learned from interviewing the survivors. Their claims could convince you to consider that it might not have been an iceberg.

• Major Arthur G. Peuchen who was a First Class passenger said that he definitely heard an explosion and after that, the ship started to sink.
• George Frederick Crowe was a steward in a lifeboat. In his interview, he said that there had been an explosion and then the aft part had turned on end and sunk.

But we still want to know if there is real proof that the Titanic sank because of an explosion!

At the time, the Titanic engineers didn’t understand the dangers of the electrolysis that could convert seawater into explosive hydrogen gas. John Wickman concluded in his book, Titanic, The Hidden Evidence, that they made a mistake. They kept the lights on, which caused the explosions. Had they not done this, the Titanic could’ve stayed afloat and the passengers could’ve survived.

Wickman believes that the first explosion happened between 1:10 and 1:20 AM. But he said there was another explosion that split the ship in half and that was the reason for the catastrophe.

​It was a perfect match of extraordinary factors and Journalist Senan Molony confirms this. He spent more than 30 years researching why the Titanic sank. He came to the conclusion that “fire, ice, and criminal negligence” were the cause of the disaster.

But still, the experts confirm that there was a fire and it started in a 3-story high fuel store behind one of the ship’s boiler rooms. Many passengers heard a tearing sound and after that, the ship began to flood immediately.

The cat stretch can help lengthen the back and ease tension in the muscles. But you can improve this technique and use a chair. It especially nice after a hard work day when you don’t have enough energy to do yoga or stretch.
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• You just need a soft pillow between you and a chair or stool. Sit on your knees and position your body over the seat of the chair. Relax your whole body and let your spine get round. Your head should be down.
• Stay like this until you feel relief in your muscles.

It’s simple and the manufacturers say it’s very effective. This special tape relieves pressure and pain, provides support, and increases circulation that helps you heal. When the tape is applied to your body it gently lifts your skin. It is believed that this helps to create a tiny space between your skin and the tissues underneath it. Very often, relief is felt immediately.

How to apply it:
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1. Clean and dry the problematic area first.
2. Tear the backing paper in the center.
3. After applying the first tab to anchor the tape, let the end recoil slightly. Then take off the backing paper.
4. After you apply the tape, rub the strip vigorously for several seconds. Heat activates the glue. Full adhesion usually takes around 20 minutes.

Please consult with your therapist on how to properly apply this tape!

You can get your own stones and relax your back at home. For example, you can find them by the seashore or buy them in a shop. The only requirement is that they should be rounded. By placing the warmed stones over acupressure points you can get rid of tension in your body and promote the body’s own healing process. It is always better to consult with your doctor, who can also advise where to apply them.

How to prepare and use the stones:
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• Heat up the stones. Prepare your stones 30-60 minutes before you begin your massage. The water should be no more than 54°C (130°F ).
• Apply some massage oil on the stones.
• Don’t place a hot stone directly on your skin without first moving it slowly along your back before putting it on a point. And don’t lay on hot stones!
• Lay face down. Put the stones on your back along your spine and relax. It takes 3-4 minutes for the heat of the stones to penetrate the skin.

What’s old is new again. With all these new technologies, we almost forgot about the old remedy that has always helped. Capsicum Plaster is used to produce heat, but you have to make sure you apply it on undamaged skin. It is used for backaches, swelling of the nerves, and muscle stiffness.

New research says that it is effective and that after 3 weeks of treatment, it was shown to reduce pain by 25% more in a group who used plaster in comparison to a group who just thought that they were using it.

How to use it:
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1. When you get your capsicum plaster, use it exactly as directed on the label.
2. To apply a capsicum skin patch, remove the liner and apply the patch to your skin over the area of the pain. Press it firmly.
3. Leave the plaster until it gets dry.
4. Remove the patch and apply a new patch 1 or 2 times daily if needed.
5. Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after applying the capsicum patch.

Acupressure points are very helpful for back pain and using this technique doesn’t cause side effects like medication does. You can use this method in your daily routine. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese physical therapy. It’s becoming more and more popular every day and it is a well-researched method for managing back pain. It works by stimulating the nervous system and releasing pain-relieving chemicals.

Some acupuncture points for back pain are on the backs of the knees, on the lower back, the feet, the hips, and the stomach.

How to press the points:
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1. Press the points with your thumb and hold for a couple of minutes.
2. Release slowly.

​This may also be a good alternative to medication. Chiropractic spinal manipulation is effective for back pain. It’s basically analyzing the problem by using touch and then fixing it manually. It is estimated that chiropractors treat more than 35 million people in America annually!

But before doing any procedures, consult with your doctor so you don’t harm your spine!

It’s better to find a professional who can advise what is best for you. If you need some urgent and quick care for your back, it’s always good to know a chiropractic specialist.

​According to the World Health Organization, about 15% of couples in the world have issues when it comes to having children. And at least one-third of fertility problems come from men. Of course, men’s infertility could be caused by many things, like a bad environment, stress, a poor diet, genetics, etc. However, a small thing like keeping a mobile phone in their pocket could be the straw that’s breaking the camel’s back and that’s not allowing you to grow your family.

​The Japanese scientists took samples from a group of 51 men and divided them into 3 groups. They also used a WiFi device, replicating a mobile phone.

One group of samples didn’t get any exposure from a WiFi router. The second group was exposed, but had a WiFi protection shield. And the third group had full exposure. The samples were placed relatively close to the WiFi device, replicating the mobile phone being carried around in the pants pocket and the results were taken after different times.

​The findings were a bit scary. While being under the influence of a WiFi signal for 30 minutes hardly had any effect, longer exposure started showing an impressive difference. After just 2 hours the motility rate of the unexposed group was 53.3%, the shield group 44.9%, and the exposed group only 26.4%. 24 hours later the dead sperm rate for the exposed group was 23.3% compared to 8.4% for the unexposed samples.

​The statistics say that, these days, the number of active mobile phones is larger than the actual world population, meaning that quite a few people have more than one phone, and the effect from its waves might be too serious to be ignored.

​Ms. Nakata specified that the study confirmed that the electromagnetic waves from WiFi devices are safe for people in terms of well-being and health. Perhaps, a simple solution like keeping the phone on a desk instead in a pocket will make a difference for some families.

​For some adults, children serve as permission for certain behavior even if it violates generally accepted rules. It can be anything, big or small, like going ahead of the line in the supermarket, undressing a child right in the middle of the park for them to pee, or taking a nearly grown son to a woman’s dressing room. If you ask these parents to refrain from doing these things, they may start yelling about having equal rights.

​100 years ago, children just followed whatever their parents said and had almost no say in the family. Some modern parents, on the contrary, are sure that their child is the most important member of the family and any criticism can traumatize them for life.

They will often find justification for anything wrong their child does. He beats up other kids? They probably started it first. He stole money from his sister? He probably meant it as a joke. She ate some sweets in the store she didn’t buy? She’s just a kid, she wanted them! Such adults often don’t want to be responsible for the bad things their children do and just say that their kid is being a kid and they’re only learning. Of course, this makes other people really angry.

​Children aren’t new family members for everyone. Sometimes, children are used as a way to increase their parents’ social status. Some adults think that when they give birth to children, they fulfill some kind of civic duty, and their kid makes them more important and significant.

Unfortunately, this is especially noticeable in people who have no other achievements or interests in life. Just by becoming a parent, they can easily feel better than their friend who has a successful career and no children, or they can call their friend immature because they go on vacation 5 times a year rather than finally getting a family. But the only result that comes from this behavior is people not wanting to talk to them anymore.

​After giving birth, some women decide to fully dedicate themselves to raising children which is perfectly normal, especially when there are several children. However, they realize that their choice is not the only right choice there is. There are also women who want to get back to work as soon as possible — some are even ready to give up on having kids in order to have a successful career.

Things are completely different for people who realized that their children are their calling and profession. Such mothers require other people to respect them just for the fact that they have children and they seriously think that all people hate their jobs but have to work for money. So, such mothers have a negative attitude toward other moms who work.

​Some parents think that children should get the best of the best. A mother from such a family may proudly explain how she gave up her successful career in order to take care of her child, and a father can say that he hasn’t been on vacation for several years because his children always need something, whether it’s new toys, new devices, and so on.

It’s really hard to say how good or bad this approach is for children. A child who thinks that they’re the center of the world is not very likely to grow up and won’t want to take care of themselves since their parents always will. This often leads to situations where elderly relatives still take care of their adult sons and daughters because something is just not working out for them and they need help.

​Of course, this isn’t about giving a seat to a pregnant woman in public transport, it’s about bigger things. For example, such parents often take days off or ask their boss to let them go home early because they have a child at home.

They ask people to let them ahead in line and to allow them to sit on the park bench because the child needs to sit in the shade. All these things make other people feel like these parents are waving their child around like a flag, trying to get something better for themselves. And of course, it irritates everyone. It’s especially annoying for people who have children themselves but don’t think others owe them anything just because they’re parents.

If you read modern studies, you’ll see that fixating on a child is harmful to both the child and their parents.
​

• Many young mothers admit that they’re depressed and are dissatisfied with their lack of free time and social activity.
• Young parents are often jealous of people who have no children since they can travel more and spend a lot more money on what they want.
• The people who devote themselves completely to their children often feel empty and lost when their children grow up and leave home.
• The children who get too much attention in childhood often grow up to be anxious and susceptible to depression, and it’s hard for them to get used to adult life because they’re not used to relying on themselves.

On the other hand, the children who are used to being on their own grow up to be more happy and confident. And parents who have more time for each other and their favorite hobbies get divorced less often and feel more comfortable in their families.

​Breast milk is the best food for a child. But unfortunately, sometimes there’s just not enough of it available. Nurses in maternity wards have bottles of formula to make sure the baby is well-fed but some mothers completely refuse to use them. Being hungry is very dangerous for children: it causes dehydration which can lead to death.

​If a child is crying, it doesn’t always mean that they’re hungry. A baby may cry because something hurts or just because they want to see their mother. Sometimes, people try to comfort them with food but it may lead to overfeeding which causes discomfort in the stomach, a buildup of gas, and spitting up.

Don’t insist if your baby doesn’t want to eat. If you think that your baby doesn’t eat enough, consult a pediatrician — you may be wrong.

​Often, children don’t eat from the breast well, so in order to feed them, mothers pump the milk. In general, there’s nothing dangerous about this, but sucking from a bottle is easier than from a breast and it’s easier to get used to over time. Because of this, children often stop breastfeeding completely which can lead to an overbite, speaking problems, and a decrease in the amount of breast milk that is produced.

​Until recently, people believed it was beneficial to wrap babies to keep them warm because “babies are used to the hot temperature inside the mother’s womb.” However, overheating is really dangerous and increases the risk of sudden infant death. Pediatricians recommend maintaining a comfortable temperature between 64 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t cover babies with several blankets and don’t put them next to heaters. Take their hats off while they sleep.

How can you know if a baby is overheated? Touch their belly — it’s supposed to be warm but not hot. Red cheeks and intense sweating are also signals of overheating.

​The older generation thinks that children should be washed in boiled water, the sheets should be ironed from both sides, and the room where the baby lives should be cleaned several times a day. Many young parents even get rid of pets worrying about the health of their babies. However, pediatricians believe that when everything around is too clean, it only hurts the child’s immune system, making it hypersensitive.

According to studies conducted at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, children who encounter household germs and the fur of pets during their first year of life are less prone to having allergic reactions or asthma. After the age of 1, contact with cats and dogs is not so beneficial anymore.

​Unfortunately, we can’t always make sure that our children are completely safe. But what we can do is follow the generally accepted rules to keep them secure. One such rule is entering an elevator with the stroller, holding the baby in your arms. Few people do this, but it’s smart because machines are not very reliable and the elevator doors can close at any second.

Also, parents often cross the road with strollers in the wrong way: they push it in front of them. But the stroller is lower than the cars and drivers may not see it because of other vehicles. Driving rules state that strollers should be pushed on the side.

​Children often cry so hard that it seems they hate their parents. This causes irritated mothers and fathers to start rocking the baby nervously. It’s not that they want to hurt the baby, it’s their aggravation that makes their movements so rushed.

Remember that children have weak neck muckles and softer brains than adults do, so there’s a huge chance that a child can get injured. Such injuries are known as shaken baby syndrome. It can make a child disabled or even lead to death.

​You can become the owner of not one, but 6 islands, with picturesque views and unique wildlife, located on San Francisco River in northeastern Brazil, for just $79,500. The reason why nobody has grabbed them up yet is probably that they are technically not buying these islands as much as they are buying the right to use them for 99 years, and they will be subject to some vague “small, yearly taxes.”

​This 8-acre island with white sandy beaches, well preserved nature, and pine forests is also sheltered from storms and hurricanes by the neighboring islands. There’s no other property there, so you could be the first to build your own dream house. Its price is only $74,500, as for why it’s still for sale, maybe it’s because the Canadian market is flooded with private islands.

​Tillamook Island (also known as Terrible Tilly) is not an island in the traditional sense, it’s a rock with a lighthouse off the coast of Oregon. The original cost of Tillamook Island, which was sold several times, was $500,000, and now it’s dropped to $50,000, but the waves sweeping over the entire island and a history full of various legends, myths, and even tragedies (starting with an accident at the end of the 19th century with the head of a surveyor expedition, mason John Trewavas, who was hit by a wave and swept out to sea) scares off potential buyers.

​Chandler Island is a 1-acre island with a view of picturesque Maine, you can buy for $39,999. There`s a small cabin on the island and you also can build your own house there. The only problem is that high tide is significant for the island — the water covers half of this already small piece of land.

​A small undeveloped island on St. Johns River, in New Brunswick, Canada is up for sale for less than $29,900. The only disadvantage is that every spring, flood waters cover the entire island, so you can`t really build anything there. During the other seasons the island is a great place for camping or kayaking.

​These small tree-covered islands surrounded by the crystal clear waters of Sheep Lake will certainly give you peace and joy, but probably not much of a privacy — they are only 25 miles from the closest fishing village, so there might be a lot of visitors and the island might not be that private anymore. But if you’re ok with that, you can buy this island for $50,989.

​For just $31,500 you can become the owner of this historic artificial private island, built in 1848 to protect the city of Baltimore, on one condition — you have to restore the abandoned fort on it. Local businesses tried to renovate the island and turn it into a hotel, conference center, casino, and even a jail, but these attempts were unsuccessful. It’s an important conservation nesting site for seagulls and herons, so you can’t start major construction work, since it can scare off the birds.

​There’s an opportunity to live completely rent free for 6 months on this tiny island with Australia’s most southerly lighthouse off the coast of Tasmania — to take part in the Maatsuyker Island Caretaker Program as a volunteer. Duties include weather readings, ocean observations, cleaning out storm water drains, lawnmowing, brush-cutting, etc. Volunteers can take up to 716 pounds (325 kg) of food and clothing, and there is just one resupply trip during the 6-month stay.

​Leather shoes can be washed by hand and very carefully. After washing the sole, use antibacterial wipes and get into each shoe crack well. It will help you to disinfect them before you start the restoring process.

I must say that after just cleaning the shoes with wipes, they looked much better already.

​That was a miracle! I didn’t expect this effect, but baking soda really works. You need to blend 2 tbsp of normal baking soda and 1 tbsp of water. Rub the shoes with this mixture by using a soft toothbrush and leave for 30 minutes.

I decided to take a risk and left it for 2 hours. And minute by minute the shoes were getting more and more white.

​After washing your shoes you may face the problem of how to dry them properly without yellow stains. One good hack can be to use newspaper. But I decided to go further and used white toilet paper because it doesn’t leave any marks from the ink. Moreover, it is easy to return the shoes the right shape by filling them in with soft paper.

​The problem with some sneakers is that their soles are ribbed and all the dirt and dust accumulates, which makes the sole start looking yellow. The toothpaste hack didn’t help me, so I decided that some major artillery was needed.

You need to combine 1 tbsp of hot water, 1 tbsp of baking soda, and 1 tbsp of white vinegar. Then rub the sole with this mixture by using a soft toothbrush and leave for 15-30 min.

The result made me happy.

​This method really works. Just do it very carefully so you don’t wash out the color!

Dark scratches on your shoes can be easily removed by using acetone. Just wet a cotton pad with nail polish remover and carefully press each scratch. Don’t rub.

It helped me with a lot of small scratches, but couldn’t save a ripped area completely. But still, the difference is visible.

​Use this method at the end, after all the restoring is done. Your shoes will look shiny!

Wet a soft towel or a cotton pad with the oil. I used coconut oil. Apply in small circular motions and rub carefully into the leather all over the boot.

​Just before restoring and cleaning your shoes, prepare all the needed items and don’t forget to use gloves so you don’t damage your skin. Check the shoes before trying a life hack. Some shoes are not supposed to be washed, or the same method can save leather shoes, but damage suede ones.