The KonMari method prescribes not just simple tidiness, which removes objects from sight, but the paring down and organizing belongings so that you have precisely what you need, where you need it. There are several basic concepts for the KonMari method. First, tidy everywhere (the entire house) all at once rather than tidying a small bit at a time. Second, tidy by category (for example clothes or books) not by location. Third, bring every item in a category together and discard what you don’t want before putting everything else away. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, only keep objects that “spark joy” in you when you handle them. … [Read more...] about Marie Kondo’s tidying method gets thumbs-up from this psychologist — with caveats
Health
Study seeking ‘super donors’ for fecal transplants
Scientists behind a new study are looking for ways to identify so-called “super-donors”: people whose poop is objectively superior. (iStock) Let no good stool go to waste. Fecal transplants — in which a healthy person donates their excrement to someone who suffers from chronic belly problems — are a thing. And now that they’ve proven effective for treating all kinds of gastrointestinal disorders, scientists behind a new study are looking for ways to identify so-called “super-donors”: people whose poop is objectively superior. REVEREND SAYS 'MIRACLE' RESTORED SIGHT 14 YEARS AFTER LOSING VISION “The last two decades have seen a growing list of medical conditions associated with changes in the microbiome — bacteria, viruses and fungi, especially in the gut,” says senior author Justin O’Sullivan, Ph.D., of the University of Auckland. “In fact, we know already that changes to the gut … [Read more...] about Study seeking ‘super donors’ for fecal transplants
You’re more likely to die from opioid overdose than a car crash, study says
While car crashes are one of the leading causes of deaths, opioid overdoses are more likely to kill you, according to a new report. Researchers from the National Safety Council recently conducted a study to explore the odds of dying in the United States.To do so, they collected mortality data for 2017 from the National Center for Health Statistics. They also pulled population and life expectancy information from the U.S. Census Bureau. After analyzing the figures, they found Americans now have a 1 in 96 chance of dying from an opioid overdose. The probability of dying from a motor vehicle accident is 1 in 103. “The nation’s opioid crisis is fueling the Council’s grim probabilities, and that crisis is worsening with an influx of illicit fentanyl,” the team said in a statement. More than 49,000 people died due to opioid overdoses in 2017, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overall, opioid overdoses are the fifth leading cause of … [Read more...] about You’re more likely to die from opioid overdose than a car crash, study says
This physician thinks ‘Dr. Google’ should have a place in the doctor-patient relationship
Doctors know that their patients are researching their symptoms online, yet patients often believe that they need to hide this. Many times when I have stumbled onto a patient’s clinical internet research during our conversation, the person will look uneasy and say, “I know I’m not supposed to do this, but …” or “I’m not a doctor but …” … [Read more...] about This physician thinks ‘Dr. Google’ should have a place in the doctor-patient relationship
Why you shouldn’t solely rely on monitoring apps for your child’s online safety
”Our family values privacy, but doesn’t keep secrets.” Privacy means that the child can do something by himself, but the parent knows about it. A child wanting privacy as he or she grows is developmentally normal, and a good thing. But keeping secrets from parents, especially if someone else tells them to do so, is not how your family should operate, and in fact can be dangerous to your children. … [Read more...] about Why you shouldn’t solely rely on monitoring apps for your child’s online safety