Cold showers have more health benefits than hot or warm showers. These include improving circulation, stimulating weight loss, and easing depression.
100 Mind-Blowing Health Facts
The soles of your feet have no hair follicles, according to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.
We don’t know why, but research shows that in the days leading up to a full moon, people go to bed later and sleep less, reports Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials.
Pregnancy tests date back to 1350 B.C.E. According to a document written on ancient papyrus, Egyptian women urinated on wheat and barley seeds to determine if they were pregnant or not, reports the Office of History in the National Institutes of Health. If wheat grew, it predicted a female baby. If barley grew, it predicted a male baby. The woman was not pregnant if nothing grew. Experimenting with this seed theory in 1963 proved it was accurate 70 per cent of the time.
The Ancient Romans used to drop a piece of toast into their wine for good health – hence why we ‘raise a toast’.
Toilet paper in France is generally pink. What is usually found in our homes as a stark white is a lively pink for the French. Pink toilet paper is commonly found in the bathrooms and kitchens of France as a regional preference. In the 1950s, coloured toilet paper was also the rave in the U.S. However, health and safety concerns over the dye caused it to be discontinued in the early ‘2000s.
Marie Curie’s belongings still have radioactive residue in the present day. Marie Curie’s contributions to science had her named by many as the mother of modern physics. One of the works she was most known for was her study of radioactive materials and the discovery of elements such as polonium and radium. However, her research took a toll on her health. Radioactive exposure not only led to her death due to aplastic anaemia – but her clothes, furniture, and books remain radioactive to this day. Now, over a century later, her notebooks have to be stored in a lead box, as they will still be radioactive for another 1,500 years.
12 plants and 5 animals make up 75% of diets around the world. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation states that this lowers major health risks. By concentrating our diets on this specific group, we become more resilient to diseases, pests, and climate change.
Humans consume a lot of water. Water is a major part of most life forms and cannot survive without it. By the time humans reach the age of 70, they would have consumed about 12,000 gallons of water. Water is known to be the best and most hydrating liquid that promotes cardiovascular health.
The ancient Greeks chewed gum like mastic. Mastic is a substance that comes from the bark of a tree. This bark was believed to be how the Greeks maintained oral health.
Carrots have zero fat content. Instead, they contain several minerals and vitamins that are good for your health. A carrot’s water content also ranges from 86-95%.
Bad feelings are good for you. Nobody wants to feel sad, afraid, or hurt, but suppressing these negative emotions can hamper us psychologically. One’s mental health should acknowledge and know how to process negative feelings.
Peyton List is an advocate for mental health awareness. She has been vocal about the importance of mental health and actively supports organisations dedicated to promoting mental well-being.
Manatees face several dangers in their native waters: boating accidents can harm or even kill manatees and things like plastics in the water can cause health problems. You can learn more about how to protect manatees even if you live thousands of miles away, by visiting Save the Manatee.
Recessions may not be good for our finances, but it turns out that they’re good for our health. Researchers in the US initially studied data from previous economic crises expecting to find a correlation between mortalities and economic crises. What they found was surprising, as harder times seemed actually to reduce mortality rates instead of increasing them. This is because during a recession, there is less traffic, and cleaner air, and people have less money to spend on unhealthy things like drinking alcohol or smoking.
According to research, starting school at 10 am is better for your health. This is particularly true for teenagers, whose growing bodies require more sleep than they’re able to get with conventionally early start times. Not only does starting a few hours later reduce illness by up to fifty per cent but it’s been found to boost students’ grades significantly!
Seven out of ten US youths would fail to qualify for military service. While many of them fail because of health reasons such as obesity, many others are disqualified because of poor education. Others fail because of prescription medication they take or lifestyle choices such as tattoos or certain piercings. It’s estimated that only one per cent of US youths are eligible to join the military and are interested in doing so.
The US Army has its private herd of bison. Unfortunately, it’s not part of some sort of secret plan to create a mounted bison regiment. Instead, the US Army base of Camp Pendleton in California was gifted the bison back in the 70s. The San Diego Zoo entrusted the bison to the base for safekeeping, and they’ve done such a great job at it that the herd has grown from 14 to 90 or so! The herd is constantly monitored, not just to ensure they’re in good health but also because they’re quite dangerous wild animals!
The Tin Man original actor in The Wizard of Oz was replaced after suffering health issues from ingesting aluminium into his lungs from the costume makeup, his skin turned blue and he struggled to breathe.
Daylight saving time does more than make people lose an hour of sleep. It can have some pretty concerning health effects. Studies have linked daylight saving time with an uptick in heart attacks, car crashes, and mining injuries. The extra hour of daylight is good for koalas, though: Researchers found that koala-car collisions went down by up to 11 per cent during daylight saving time.
The WannaCry ransomware attack cost the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) more than $100 million. (Datto)
All English residents are automatically entitled to free public health care through the National Health Service.