Are you having a hard time falling asleep? Dr. Andrew Weil has shared the “most powerful” relaxation technique he knows, and it doesn’t require any equipment or cost a dime. It’s known as the 4-7-8 method and it’s backed up by science.Dr. Weil is an expert in integrative medicine and the founder and director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona.The technique is simple:Breathe in through your nose while you count to 4.Hold your breath while you count to 7.Exhale while you count to 8.Dr. Weil says the method creates a "very pleasant, altered state of consciousness" that you may not experience the first time but will come as a "reward" of regular practice. Dr. Weil insists that the 4-7-8 technique is a practice, and you must do four breath cycles at least twice a day to get the benefits. "After a month, you can increase to 8 breath cycles if you're comfortable with it," adding that's the "absolute maximum."Dr. Weil says that 4 to 6 weeks of doing the practice can lower heart rate, improve blood pressure, digestion and circulation and can promote sleep. A study published in Physiological Reports agrees, saying that practicing the 4-7-8 technique reduces heart rate and blood pressure for several minutes.It’s also an easy way to help you fall asleep. "If you get up in the middle of the night for any reason, it is the most effective anti-anxiety technique that I've found,” Dr. Weil says.This article originally appeared on 1.3.24

One of the most popular health trends over the last few years has been staying as hydrated as possible, evidenced by the massive popularity of 40-oz Stanely Quencher cups. The theory among those who obsess over hydration is that, when you pee clear, you’ve removed all the waste in your body and are enjoying the incredible benefits of being 100% hydrated. Congratulations.However, according to Dr. Sermed Mezher, an NHS doctor in the UK, peeing clear isn’t always a sign of being healthy.“If you’re peeing clear, that means you’re having more than 2.5 liters (85 ounces) of fluid per day, which means your kidneys are working overdrive to keep that water off your brain,” Dr. Mezher said. He goes on to add that when kidneys can't keep up with their water intake, it can cause water intoxication, which can lead to dangerous, even lethal, brain swelling.Stop Trying to Get Your Pee Completely Clear #hydration.  @drsermedmezher Visit TikTok to discover videos! According to Dr. Mezher, it's all about finding balance when it comes to hydration and the goal shouldn't be to pee clear all the time. "Of course, like most things in life, too much is not great, and too little isn't either," he continued. Two liters (68 ounces) [of water] is good for a healthy adult, and babies under six months shouldn't be given any water at all."The news came as a bit of a shock to some folks in the comments. "One minute it's not enough water, the next it's too much... I'm tired," Tiyana wrote. "I always thought the goal was clear," Mountain Witch added.If you have concerns about the color of your urine, please consult a doctor.This article originally appeared on 3.26.24

Americans have a style and personality all their own, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s just noticeable when they travel aboard. Americans often stand out because of their outgoing personalities. They are friendly and enjoy having casual conversations with strangers.This is an endearing trait to a lot of people in more reserved cultures, although it can also come off as a little brash. An American characteristic that isn’t quite endearing to people in other countries is that they can be rather loud. In Europe, one can always notice the Americans in the restaurant because they can be heard from across the room.A Reddit user named Frosty-Ad3575 wanted to know the specific ways that Americans stand out when traveling abroad, so they asked the AskReddit subforum: “What’s an obvious sign that someone is an American?”The post was popular, receiving nearly 6,000 responses in just 6 days. The most popular ones described how Americans' unique personalities, style of dress, dental hygiene and body language make them easy to spot.Here are 14 “obvious” signs that someone is an American.1. Posture"Apparently, the CIA trains American agents to not lean on things if they go undercover in foreign countries because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around." — Clown1998"I bet MI6 trains British agents to lean on everything if they go undercover in America because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around." — KingoftheMongoose2. The date"MMDDYYYY." — LowRevolution61753. Distances are different"Anything under 4 hours is 'close by.'" — Grey-Canary"Everything in Europe is around the corner if you're from the US. I can drive the whole day and not leave my state, but in Europe, I can pass through 4 countries in that same time frame." — JayHitter4. They're polite to servers"In the touristy cafe-restaurant I worked at:If they asked me for the nicest spot we hadIf they asked me my recommendation without seeing the menu firstI would walk to the table, and they would say right away ‘hey, how are you doing?’ This one threw me off a lot at first. Why is this person asking me how I'm doing?? I'm just there to take the order. I got used to it, and I think they found my awkwardness cute.They would ask my name when I greeted them and took their order.I'm Northern European." — Muc_99"It’s under-appreciated just how polite, friendly, and sincere Americans are in general. It blew my mind the first time I came to the US, and I love that my children are growing up with those same values." — Irishweather50005. The water bottles"I was told, 'Americans carry water bottles around like they're worried they'll never have access to clean water ever again.'" — Kosher_Dill"I don't care what anyone says. If you think carrying a water bottle when walking a lot is weird, you're probably slightly dehydrated all the time and are just desensitized to it. You seriously need to drink water frequently if you want to be ideally healthy." — Tan116. Smiling"I was in Germany this past summer, and I realized smiling at everyone you make eye contact with is very American. When I went to London on the same trip, they seemed less weirded out by it but would awkwardly return the smile. I was taught to always start with a disarming smile. Never realized it was American." — 12ozFitz7. "More ice, please.""I spent a year in Europe completely iceless to the point I forgot that was a thing. I stopped at a bar in Chicago fresh off the plane and not only did I get free tap water, but water with ice. I instantly felt at home." — Outside-Crezz81198. Personal space"As an American man, I’ve been told repeatedly by European and Asian friends that we simply take up space (not by being fat) as though we’re entitled to it. Men in other countries apparently don’t claim the same personal space we do." — Potomacan9. White teeth"It’s even more bizarre that they assume we have braces or bleach our teeth because they’re straight and white. I have naturally straight white teeth. I brush them twice a day so they stay white. I don’t do anything special to them, but I remember being in London and some similar-aged students literally making fun of me for my teeth… it’s true that they don’t naturally look like headstones in an ancient graveyard, but there’s no need to make fun." — DPretilloZbornak10. Casual dress"My friend went to Germany recently, and what people said about Americans is you can spot them a mile away because they’re the ones wearing pajamas in public. Apparently, in other countries, at least Germany, they dress a little more formally and in less baggy clothes than we do in America." — MarcusWahlbezius11. Baseball hats"Baseball cap... even on an infant riding in a pram." — SyntheticOne12. Shoes"Americans are shoe snobs (they don’t think they are, but they are). Setting aside wealthier business types, Americans generally wear more on-brand, on-trend, high-quality shoes than others." — Mouflony13. They're loud"That was my first thought. Americans yell at each other in normal conversation in public. I noticed it years ago in Europe, and now I can’t stand it in the US." — SucccotashOther27714. Occupation matters"Immediately asking someone what they do for a living when meeting them. Our jobs and work are our entire identity." — Bealzu"I hate that about American culture. I'm an American and recently became a SAHM, so I don't have an answer to 'What do you do for a living?' Half the time, I add the caveat, ‘Oh, my last job was with Apple,’ so that I'm not written off as an unemployed ‘loser.’ But it really is dumb to determine a person's worth by what they do in order to afford food and shelter." — WassupSassySasquatchThis article originally appeared on 1.4.24

Not everyone enjoys flying. The level of non-enjoyment can range from mild discomfort to full blown Aerophobia, which is defined as an extreme fear of flying. While flying is the quickest way to get to far away destinations, for some people being that far off the ground is terrifying and they'd rather take their chances on the ground. A passenger flying from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina to JFK International Airport in New York confronted that fear while flying with Delta. The woman, who is currently still unidentified expressed that she was nervous to fly according to Molly Simonson Lee, a passenger seated behind the woman who witnessed the encounter. Tight spaces don't make for much privacy, but in this case, the world is better for knowing this took place.According to Lee, who posted about the exchange on Facebook, the Delta flight attendant, Floyd Dean-Shannon, took his time to give the nervous traveler his undivided attention. Lee told Upworthy the unidentified passenger, "was very nervous and even before the plane took off, she was visibly shaken by each sound."Approximately 25 million people in the United States have Aerophobia according to the Clevland Clinic and most of them probably wish Dean-Shannon was on their flights. "He took notice and began explaining what each [sound] was, with the warmest, calmest tone," Lee said. That wasn't even the most amazingly sweet part of the story.While the explanation of noises helped, Lee said about halfway through the flight the passenger was fighting back tears, which prompted Dean-Shannon to sit on the floor and hold the frightened passenger's hand. He comforted her for the rest of the flight while sitting on the floor. "His tone was so kind and soothing," according to Lee. Dean-Shannon's kindness didn't stop there. Lee explained, "the woman next to me was celebrating a birthday and he sang to her and made her a 'cake' with all of the goodies he could round up."I'm not sure what Delta pays him but he needs a raise immediately and it seems the people of the interwebs agree.Commenter, Miranda Anderson, tagged Delta Airlines and wrote, "I hope you see this! These are the types of people that deserve raises and make your company worth flying with. This is what pits [sic] you above the others so show these employees this is what you want and what you need.""I love this. This is what society is lacking. Empathy and kindness towards people in time[s] of need" wrote Diane Lawrence.While Mary Beth Acker Ford, said, "I was on a flight with him today. He exudes joy and is intentional about making a connection with each person!"This level of engagement with passengers is not a common experience but clearly people are happy to see this type of connection between humans. Flying anywhere can be stressful for any amount of reasons. From leaving the house late and having to participate in an involuntary 5k to catch your flight, to making your way through the devil's backyard, also known as Atlanta International Airport...just for them to change your gate 10 minutes before boarding. So having a flight attendant like Dean-Shannon is just the breath of fresh air people need. "The way he's looking at her...letting her know she's safe!!! This is just one of the many reasons I will always fly Delta Air Lines," Liz Martin wrote in the comments. "It was obvious he is just a good, kind soul who shares that generously with everyone he encounters. Such kindness is rare and a true gift when encountered," Lee remarked. That level of kindness is rare indeed and we sure are happy someone thought to capture it. This article originally appeared on 01.19.23

Mozart blew people away with his composing abilities at age 5. Franz Liszt played piano professionally for the aristocracy when he was 9. Yo-Yo Ma played cello for President John F. Kennedy at age 7. Musical prodigies have fascinated people for centuries with their mastery of music at unexpected ages. Most of us have the same questions: How and at what age were their abilities discovered? Is it nature or nurture or a combination of both? Can prodigies be created on purpose, or is it something no one can predict or control? While each musical prodigy has their own unique story, one family is giving the world some early glimpses of what an innate sense for music looks like in a baby who's still in diapers. Plenty of 1 1/2-year-old's like to pound piano keys to see what they sound like, but Gavrill Sherbenko's piano play goes far beyond experimenting with sound. He and his chubby little fingers make actual chords and coordinate notes between his two hands. At first, it might look like he's randomly playing keys, but it quickly becomes clear that he is purposeful in his playing. Watch:Watching more videos of Gavrill at the piano, we see that his musicality hasn't just appeared out of nowhere. Like most musical prodigies, he's living in a musical household. In some videos, he sits on his sister's lap watching her fingers intently as she plays and sings. In others, he sits on his mother's or father's lap as he experiments with the sounds of the piano, with or without them. But sometimes he plays totally on his own, and it's clear that he's already got an astounding understanding of the relationships between notes and how to form chords, both from observing what his family is doing and from hands-on practice himself.But again, even in very musical families, this kind of musicality at this young of an age is astounding. The best part of the videos of Gavrill at the piano is how much joy and love there are in each one. This is not a Beethoven being boxed about the ears for making a mistake on the piano situation. Yes, his family members are teaching him to understand what he's doing on the piano, but he seems to be enjoying it and so do they. A sports-loving family would toss and kick a ball around with a toddler; this family makes music together. A nurturing environment meeting an innate sensibility is what prodigious ability is made of. And when those elements are combined with genuine enjoyment, it's the best of all worlds—and a delight to witness.Watch how Gavrill is able to play the solfege that his sister sings. It's absolutely incredible, not only that he knows the notes to play to go with her pitches, but that he has the manual dexterity and fine motor control to play like he does at his age.Assuming he continues to enjoy playing it, it will be fun to see where all of this leads as he develops his gifts further. As one commenter said, "Get the tuxedo ready!" You can follow Gavrill's progress on YouTube. This article originally appeared on 12.5.23

Having that soft rock swagger. The post The singer Dave Grohl called “the coolest motherf***er in the world” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Pipe bombs, Molotov cocktails, and arson are just a few of the many ways people have attacked churches.  Since 2020, at least 342 attacks, with some estimates indicating over 400, have occurred against Catholic churches in the U.S. According to the Family Research Council, “acts of hostility” against all churches doubled from 2022 to 2023. The number of hostile acts in 2023 was eight times higher than in 2018. The phrase “TRANS PWR” was sprayed on St. Joseph Catholic church in Louisville in March of last year. In today’s world, we often scorn the past as a time of violence and see ourselves as more advanced, civilized, and peaceful. As U.S. citizens, we have long viewed ourselves as the people who bear the torch of freedom. Freedom to speak our minds, bear arms, and worship as we please. Under these ideals, the U.S. has become a melting pot of people with different beliefs from across the world. Yet, its status as a land of religious refuge has not made it immune from persecution.   Christianity is, perhaps surprisingly, the most persecuted religion in the world. In America, violence against Christian, especially Catholic, churches have seen a sharp increase in recent years. (READ MORE: Moms for America Designated a ‘Hate Group’ by Southern Poverty Law Center) Major civil unrest began in May 2020 during the height of the pandemic after the death of George Floyd. Riots and protests sprung up across the U.S. and around the world. The situation quickly spiraled out of control as what began as protests morphed into general mayhem. People took the opportunity to loot businesses and burn buildings before turning their attention to the churches. (READ MORE: Pro-Palestinian Protestors Light the American Flag on Fire in Philadelphia) Attacks on Catholic churches have continued to rise, tripling in number from 2020 to 2022. Before Roe v. Wade was overturned, the threat against the churches became so serious that the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning to the United States Council of Catholic Bishops stating that if the Supreme Court overturned Roe, there would be “credible threats to the safety of Catholic churches, clergy.  The group Jane’s Revenge planned a “Night of Rage” in response to the ruling, calling for people to go out at 8 p.m. to “make your anger known.” The group is well-known for claiming, “If abortion isn’t safe, you aren’t either. We are everywhere.” When it comes to churches, their preferred form of destruction is vandalism and their favorite threat is “abort the church.” (READ MORE: Massachusetts Launches Public Education Campaign Against Pregnancy Centers) The attacks on Catholic churches have, thankfully, consisted mostly of property damage rather than of attacks on church-goers and clergy. Few thefts have occurred, indicating that material gain is not the primary motive of the attacks. Some attacks are meant to terrorize and intimidate. Perpetrators have stolen Holy Communion and set off Molotov cocktails, pipe bombs, and other homemade weapons in Catholic churches.  Other attacks have been in response to the political atmosphere. The George Floyd attacks and the reversal of Roe v. Wade both had a hand in the increase of attacks on churches. (READ MORE: Vatican Denounces Olympic Opening Ceremony) The number of assaults on all churches peaked in June 2023 on the one-year anniversary of the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Pro-abortion attacks have included the destruction of pro-life displays, including a monument to the unborn at St. Rosalia Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and 1,000 wooden crosses representing aborted children at Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Elmhurst, Illinois. Numerous groups of people have joined in on the attacks. Although the attackers don’t necessarily define the groups they are a part of, it’s important to note where they come from. Black Lives Matter protesters attacked Catholic churches and property during the unrest in 2020. In 48 hours, from July 10–12, 2020, four buildings or statues belonging to Catholic churches were attacked. Incidents have included, but are not limited to, arson and the beheading of the Virgin Mary in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (READ MORE: BLM’s (Reverse) Marxist Makeover) Transgender activists have also vandalized churches. The phrase “TRANS PWR” was sprayed on St. Joseph Catholic church in Louisville in March of last year. (READ MORE: The Politics of Patrisse Cullors, Founder of Black Lives Matter) Satanists have attacked churches with vandalism too. In 2023, the Most Holy Trinity Catholic church in El Paso, Texas, was spray-painted with the numbers “666” and upside-down crosses in multiple places, including the tabernacle, which houses the Eucharist. Holy oil was also dumped across the church. Still more vandalism has been committed by Neo-Nazis. Swastikas have been found on many churches, including some in Washington D.C. and San Francisco. Hamas, or at least a man claiming to be part of the Islamic terrorist group, entered Sacred Heart Church in central New York and threatened employees with “mass harm” less than a week after the October attacks on Israel. (READ MORE: Governance in Gaza and the West Bank: What to Know) Hearteningly, Jeff Ludwikowski, a trial lawyer turned deacon of one of the largest parishes in Pennsylvania, told The American Spectator, “The Church has always done well, has always thrived under hardship, and it has always been under hardship. We are never going to pick the easy road. We are never going to be popular, and we should never expect to be. Attacks are only going to strengthen our faith. We should never expect to not be attacked.” So far in 2024, there have already been 50 attacks on Catholic churches. It would be much less dangerous to cease taking a stand and quietly fade into the background. It would be easy to cower and wonder if we should lock up the churches and quiet the homilies.  Pope Saint John Paul II reminds us, however, “Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors!” The post The Attack on Catholic America appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Though they have reached serious heights of fame and culinary acclaim, these celebrity chefs have some more humble beginnings at fast food restaurants.

The infamous Alaskan Duck Fart shot has a very interesting backstory, so here's everything you need to know about this unique alcoholic shot.