Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Fancy Gift Wrapping Can Trigger Disappointment or Impress

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/3lZ6g4FQiJk

The holidays are ahead, and, if you want your friends and family to enjoy your gift, don’t overdo the wrapping.  Consumer psychologists at the University of Nevada compared the reactions of gift recipients to neatly or sloppily wrapped presents.

A beautiful, precise gift wrap for those you know overpromises frequently creates disappointment when what’s inside falls short of the promise.  Better to contain the gift in a bag or more informal wrapping.

Different situation if you’re gifting your boss or non-family.  Then, the gift itself is immaterial.   A beautiful wrap communicates organizational skills and how you value the relationship.  A sloppy wrap reflects the opposite.

The choice of the gift wrap can be as important as what’s inside.

Jessica M. Rixom, Erick M. Mas, Brett A. Rixom. Presentation Matters: The Effect of Wrapping Neatness on Gift Attitudes. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2019; DOI: 10.1002/jcpy.1140

#Gifts #giftwrap #family

Gifts, giftwrap, family

Fancy Gift Wrapping Can Trigger Disappointment or Impress

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/3lZ6g4FQiJk

The holidays are ahead, and, if you want your friends and family to enjoy your gift, don’t overdo the wrapping.  Consumer psychologists at the University of Nevada compared the reactions of gift recipients to neatly or sloppily wrapped presents.

A beautiful, precise gift wrap for those you know overpromises frequently creates disappointment when what’s inside falls short of the promise.  Better to contain the gift in a bag or more informal wrapping.

Different situation if you’re gifting your boss or non-family.  Then, the gift itself is immaterial.   A beautiful wrap communicates organizational skills and how you value the relationship.  A sloppy wrap reflects the opposite.

The choice of the gift wrap can be as important as what’s inside.

Jessica M. Rixom, Erick M. Mas, Brett A. Rixom. Presentation Matters: The Effect of Wrapping Neatness on Gift Attitudes. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2019; DOI: 10.1002/jcpy.1140

#Gifts #giftwrap #family

Gifts, giftwrap, family

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/XbRK74f4Hog

Short bursts of exertion to near maximum creates more cardiovascular fitness than the traditional continuous exercise in one-third less time.  A Japanese study in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings followed 679 subjects over a 5 month period.

The interval training routine was walking at a pace 70% of the individuals maximal capacity for 3 minutes, then at 40% of capacity for 3 more.  This cycle was repeated 8 to 9 times over the week for a max of 50 minutes.  Those using this plan showed a significant 14% increase in aerobic capacity and a 17% decrease in lifestyle-linked disease compared with those following the traditional 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise.

The bottom line:less is more.

Shizue Masuki, Mayuko Morikawa, Hiroshi Nose. High-Intensity Walking Time Is a Key Determinant to Increase Physical Fitness and Improve Health Outcomes After Interval Walking Training in Middle-Aged and Older People. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.04.039

#hiit #intervaltraining #aerobics

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/XbRK74f4Hog

Short bursts of exertion to near maximum creates more cardiovascular fitness than the traditional continuous exercise in one-third less time.  A Japanese study in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings followed 679 subjects over a 5 month period.

The interval training routine was walking at a pace 70% of the individuals maximal capacity for 3 minutes, then at 40% of capacity for 3 more.  This cycle was repeated 8 to 9 times over the week for a max of 50 minutes.  Those using this plan showed a significant 14% increase in aerobic capacity and a 17% decrease in lifestyle-linked disease compared with those following the traditional 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise.

The bottom line:less is more.

Shizue Masuki, Mayuko Morikawa, Hiroshi Nose. High-Intensity Walking Time Is a Key Determinant to Increase Physical Fitness and Improve Health Outcomes After Interval Walking Training in Middle-Aged and Older People. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.04.039

#hiit #intervaltraining #aerobics

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/KNGlHUOcAtU

Enjoying a daily avocado helps to keep your coronary arteries open by increasing antioxidants and lowering harmful LDL cholesterol .  Penn State nutritionists now publish this finding after  studying 45 overweight and obese subjects with elevated LDL cholesterol levels.

 Adding avocado to a moderate fat diet right-sized the circulating LDL and LDL particle levels while increasing beneficial antioxidants more than either a moderate fat diet alone or even a low fat diet.  This is the first study to credit the avocado with reducing dangerous small LDL particles that readily penetrate and damage blood vessel linings.

Avocados tastefully replace mayonnaise on salads and sandwiches.  Add at least one a day to live longer.

Li Wang et al, A Moderate-Fat Diet with One Avocado per Day Increases Plasma Antioxidants and Decreases the Oxidation of Small, Dense LDL in Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial, The Journal of Nutrition (2019). DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxz231

#LDL avocado #cholesterol #coronary #lipids

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/KNGlHUOcAtU

Enjoying a daily avocado helps to keep your coronary arteries open by increasing antioxidants and lowering harmful LDL cholesterol .  Penn State nutritionists now publish this finding after  studying 45 overweight and obese subjects with elevated LDL cholesterol levels.

 Adding avocado to a moderate fat diet right-sized the circulating LDL and LDL particle levels while increasing beneficial antioxidants more than either a moderate fat diet alone or even a low fat diet.  This is the first study to credit the avocado with reducing dangerous small LDL particles that readily penetrate and damage blood vessel linings.

Avocados tastefully replace mayonnaise on salads and sandwiches.  Add at least one a day to live longer.

Li Wang et al, A Moderate-Fat Diet with One Avocado per Day Increases Plasma Antioxidants and Decreases the Oxidation of Small, Dense LDL in Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial, The Journal of Nutrition (2019). DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxz231

#LDL avocado #cholesterol #coronary #lipids

Vidcast:  ttps://youtu.be/uwQjrBlO6DQ

Constant noise will raise your risk of sustaining a severe stroke by 30%, while quiet, green space reduces that risk by 25%.  These conclusions come from a Spanish study of nearly 2800 stroke victims over a 10 year period.

Strokes kill 6.7 million worldwide annually. Reduce your chances of having one by keeping your weight, blood pressure, lipid levels in control.  Then too, avoid noisy places,

Problem is, noise is becoming epidemic.  Nearly everyone is screaming in restaurants, on subways, at sports events, and on the street.  

Besides worsening strokes, noise also kills your hearing, raises your blood pressure, and drives heart disease.  We should all take the advice we so often give to children as they scream: indoor voices dear!

Rosa Maria Vivanco-Hidalgo, Carla Avellaneda-Gómez, Payam Dadvand, Marta Cirach, Ángel Ois, Alejandra Gómez González, Ana Rodriguez-Campello, Pablo de Ceballos, Xavier Basagaña, Ana Zabalza, Elisa Cuadrado-Godia, Jordi Sunyer, Jaume Roquer, Gregory A. Wellenius. Association of residential air pollution, noise, and greenspace with initial ischemic stroke severity.. Environmental Research, 2019; 179: 108725 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108725

#Stroke #airpollution #noise #greenspace

Vidcast:  ttps://youtu.be/uwQjrBlO6DQ

Constant noise will raise your risk of sustaining a severe stroke by 30%, while quiet, green space reduces that risk by 25%.  These conclusions come from a Spanish study of nearly 2800 stroke victims over a 10 year period.

Strokes kill 6.7 million worldwide annually. Reduce your chances of having one by keeping your weight, blood pressure, lipid levels in control.  Then too, avoid noisy places,

Problem is, noise is becoming epidemic.  Nearly everyone is screaming in restaurants, on subways, at sports events, and on the street.  

Besides worsening strokes, noise also kills your hearing, raises your blood pressure, and drives heart disease.  We should all take the advice we so often give to children as they scream: indoor voices dear!

Rosa Maria Vivanco-Hidalgo, Carla Avellaneda-Gómez, Payam Dadvand, Marta Cirach, Ángel Ois, Alejandra Gómez González, Ana Rodriguez-Campello, Pablo de Ceballos, Xavier Basagaña, Ana Zabalza, Elisa Cuadrado-Godia, Jordi Sunyer, Jaume Roquer, Gregory A. Wellenius. Association of residential air pollution, noise, and greenspace with initial ischemic stroke severity.. Environmental Research, 2019; 179: 108725 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108725

#Stroke #airpollution #noise #greenspace

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xjgFV9pe82M

Obesity and overweight problems are more common in kids of all ages living close to convenience stores.  New York University researchers report these results online this week after reviewing data from 1 million school-aged New York City children.

Of those living within a half-block of a convenience store or bodega, some 20% were obese and 40% were overweight.  For every half or full city block kids live away from these junk food havens, the incidence of obesity dropped from 1 to 4%.

If you live close to such stores, keep an eye on your children’s purchases.  The investigators also suggest that these neighborhood gathering places could be incentivized publicly or privately to stock healthier fruits and vegetables.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191029080737.htm

#conveniencestores #bodegas #junkfood #obesity #overweight

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xjgFV9pe82M

Obesity and overweight problems are more common in kids of all ages living close to convenience stores.  New York University researchers report these results online this week after reviewing data from 1 million school-aged New York City children.

Of those living within a half-block of a convenience store or bodega, some 20% were obese and 40% were overweight.  For every half or full city block kids live away from these junk food havens, the incidence of obesity dropped from 1 to 4%.

If you live close to such stores, keep an eye on your children’s purchases.  The investigators also suggest that these neighborhood gathering places could be incentivized publicly or privately to stock healthier fruits and vegetables.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191029080737.htm

#conveniencestores #bodegas #junkfood #obesity #overweight