Something You Should Know

With all we know about how medicine works, we still don’t understand the placebo effect very well. Yet, by all accounts it is very powerful. This episode begins with some interesting research that seems to show that believing you are healthy really makes it so. Source: Howard Brody, M.D. author of “The Placebo Response” (https://amzn.to/2ZzmXzH)

Money is a tricky subject for just about everyone. Of course there is the “math of money” that shows how money works numerically but there is also how we feel about money. For example, most experts agree that paying off your mortgage is a bad idea, yet many people feel great when they do it. So, who is right? Joining me to discuss why your attitudes about money are just as important as the math is Morgan Housel. He is a partner at the Collaborative Fund and has been a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and the Motley Fool. Morgan is also author of the book The Psychology of Money (https://amzn.to/2Ftrrkb)

When was the last time you cleaned your car seats? Think about all the times people come in and out of your car and all the stuff they have with them. When you hear this, you will want to clean your seats very soon and clean them very well. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8712437/Disgusting-video-proves-washing-car-seats-dark-upholstery-often.html

Everyone has witnessed a time when an attractive person got preferential treatment. Good looking people get out of speeding tickets, they get better tables at restaurants, they make more money and they get promoted faster. And it turns out that just about all of us are likely to treat attractive people better. Why? To answer that and explain the ramifications of all of this is Daniel Hamermesh. He is an economist, and a Professor of Economics at Royal Holloway, University of London and author of the book Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful. (https://amzn.to/2FskwrE)

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Who doesn’t like ketchup? It is one of the most universally loved American foods. Why? This episode begins with some interesting facts and history about ketchup that helps explain why there is a bottle of it in more than 97% of U.S. households. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/aug/20/why-is-ketchup-so-delicious-science-answers-big-food-questions

Have you ever had a winning streak? Maybe it was at work or in a game of tennis or chess – where you just could do no wrong. You often see winning streaks in professional sports. Interestingly, some people claim that winning streaks are a myth. However, my guest believes they are very real and that we can all learn how to do anything better by understanding how winning streaks work. Ben Cohen is a sports reporter for The Wall Street Journal and author of the book, The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks (https://amzn.to/32gobSl) and he joins me to offer some fascinating insight into winning and losing streaks.

At some point in your education some teacher likely told you that you should never end a sentence with a preposition. However, anyone who writes knows that to follow that rule can be very awkward. So, is it really a rule? Listen as I explain where it came from and whether you should bother following it. Source: Patricia O’Connor author of “Woe Is I” (https://amzn.to/3igwWkT)

We all have times when we really need to do work that requires real careful concentration. Yet in today’s world of distractions, it can be hard to find the time to do that kind of work without interruption. Cal Newport has researched this problem and come up with some great insight into how to get that important work done even when your life is pulling you in all different directions. Cal is a writer and an assistant professor of computer science at Georgetown University and host of the podcast Deep Questions. https://www.calnewport.com/podcast/. He is also author of the book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (https://amzn.to/3heGXO9). 

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Your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance covers much more than you probably realize – and it is worth knowing. For example, if you receive counterfeit money – your homeowner’s insurance may likely cover you for the loss. Who knew? And that’s only one thing we discuss about insurance you may not know. http://consumerist.com/2012/04/12/stuck-with-a-forged-check-homeowners-insurance-to-the-rescue/

How do peak performers get to the top of their field? And what separates a peak performer from everyone else? High performance psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais has some interesting answers that can help you become a peak performer. Michael works with top musicians, action sports stars and athletes including the Seattle Seahawks. He is also the host of the podcast, Finding Mastery: Conversations with Michael Gervais (https://findingmastery.net).

The number of people who are near-sighted has grown dramatically over the last 20 years or so. Why? You’ve probably heard that it is because we do so much “close-up” work like looking at computer screens and reading books. But that is apparently not it. So what is the reason? Listen to find out. http://www.nature.com/news/the-myopia-boom-1.17120?WT.mc_id=TWT_NatureNews

Is zero really a number? What is so important about pi? These are just two of the fascinating aspects of mathematics I explore with mathematician Ian Stewart, retired Professor at the University of Warwick in England and author of several books including The Beauty of Numbers in Nature (https://amzn.to/2DUo0fM). Even if you are not a math lover, you will find this conversation fascinating.

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Blue jeans have been in fashion for a very long time. How did that happen? After all, they started out as work clothes. This episode begins by exploring the origins of jeans and how they became so popular. Source: James Sullivan, author of Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon (https://amzn.to/2F0wyID)

How often have you looked back on a conversation and wish you had said something different – something brilliant? Well now you can. Listen to my guest Phil M. Jones, author of the book Exactly What to Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact (http://amzn.to/2vGIR2R). Phil is one of the world’s top sales trainers and he has researched and studied what words and phrases work in what situations to help you get the outcomes you want in all areas of your life.

Laughing is so good for you and so is crying. Even better if you can do them both at the same time. Listen as I explore the fine line between laughing and crying and the benefits of both. https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/09/07/curious-behvaior-provine/

You make judgments about people based on the way they speak. And people judge you the same way. Certain accents or dialects cloud or view of people both in good ways and bad ways. But is it fair? Why should we judge someone based on their speech pattern and why do we do it in the first place? Joining me to discuss that is Katherine Kinzler a professor of psychology at the University of Chicago and author of the book How You Say It: Why You Talk the Way You Do and What it Says About You (https://amzn.to/3lSvZkU)

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Watching a scary movie can be terrifying and unpleasant. So why do people do it? This episode begins with a discussion on the appeal of scary movies and what watching them actually does for people. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070725152040.htm

Ever wonder why you chose to eat the foods you eat? The fact is there are a lot of things that influence food choice and many of those influences make it hard to eat a healthy diet. To help you sort out how to make better food choices and resist those negative influences so you can eat a healthy diet is Marion Nestle, PhD. She is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University, she has researched and written several books about food, nutrition and the politics of food – and her latest book is Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat (https://amzn.to/2EUTGbm) She also has an amazingly simple way to lose weight that you are going to want to hear.

Millions of people sit at a computer all day – and nothing could be worse! We slouch and strain our neck and all of that can cause all sorts of physical problems. In addition, when you spend a lot of time looking down at your phone, that’s not helping either. Joining me to give some expert advice on this is Erik Peper. He is a professor of Holistic Health at San Francisco State University and co-author of the book Tech Stress: How Technology is Hijacking Our Lives, Strategies for Coping, and Pragmatic Ergonomics (https://amzn.to/2QEyZCS).

What makes it more likely that you get pulled over by the police? It turns out that it’s not just about speeding, it’s also about where you position yourself in relation to the other cars as well as other factors. Listen to hear some advice on how to improve your chances that you don’t get pulled over by the cops. Source: Interview with Eric Peters of https://www.ericpetersautos.com/

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We have a lot of devices – cellphones, tablets, laptops – and they all need to be charged up constantly. How much does that cost? And how much does it cost to run a television, light bulb or a Tesla every year? Listen to discover the answers. http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ekhf45ellkj/ipad-1-50-per-year/

It seems as if the truth has taken a beating in recent years. Your truth may not be my truth and then, of course, there is alternative truth. Huh? It’s time we take a closer look at what the truth is and isn’t. So joining me is Hector MacDonald, he is strategic communications consultant who has advised the leaders of some of the world’s top corporations as well as the British government. Hector is the author of a new book called TRUTH: How the Many Sides to Every Story Shape Our Reality (https://amzn.to/2pVUYs6) and I think you will find what he has to say very enlightening.

Everyone has been worried about their breath on occasion. We all know what a huge turn-off bad breath can be. So I will let you in on some proven strategies to fight bad breath when you aren’t able to brush your teeth. I’ll also tell you a few myths about bad breath that may surprise you. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/03/cure-bad-breath_n_1126196.html

You’ve heard of Murphy’s Law… Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. But why is that so? Why do things go wrong? Whether it is your morning routine to get the kids off to school (which in my house OFTEN goes wrong) to how you do your job or cook Thanksgiving dinner to disastrous space shuttle launches – things can and do go wrong. Listen to Chris Clearfield, co-author of the book, Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It (https://amzn.to/2pZgPy3) as he delves into the science of failure. You’ll discover how failure works and more importantly how you can learn from failure to prevent it from happening again.

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When someone is sick or in the hospital, it is customary to send them flowers. Who doesn’t love flowers? But do flowers actually help sick people heal? This episode begins with a discussion on some interesting research that connects healing with plants and nature. http://askinyourface.com/2012/05/06/the-healing-power-of-flowers/

Everyone makes mistakes, including doctors. But medical errors can have serious consequences. It has been reported that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in America. Could that be true? What is being done to prevent medical errors and what can we as patients do to make sure we are not the recipient of one of those errors. Here to discuss that is Dr. Ofri, Clinical professor of medicine at the New York University School of Medicine and practicing physician at New York’s Bellevue Hospital for more than two decades. She is author of the book When We Do Harm: A Doctor Confronts Medical Error (https://amzn.to/3hVGku9)

Have you ever wondered why traffic seems to stop on a highway for no apparent reason and then just starts up again? How does that happen? Listen as I explain the science of phantom traffic jams and what we could all do to stop them if we all worked together. http://www.livescience.com/713-science-traffic-jams.html

How does evolution actually happen? How did fish come out of the water and start walking? Where did their lungs and legs and feet come from? How did reptiles transform into birds? How does any creature evolve into another? We have a lot of new evidence that helps explain that says Neil Shubin. Neil is a paleontologist, evolutionary biologist and Professor at the University of Chicago and author of the book Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, from Ancient Fossils to DNA (https://amzn.to/3gzfoii). Listen as he explains the fascinating world of evolution. 

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How many things are taking up space in your house that you will never, ever, ever use again? This episode begins with some simple advice that will help you clear out some things from your home or office and free up some space for what’s really important. Source: Barbara Hemphill author of “Love It or Lose It (https://amzn.to/31wfIdq)

Your sense of smell is fascinating. Still, it is the one sense that people would be most likely to give up if they had to. That’s likely because people don’t realize how important smell is to your physical and emotional well-being. Here to explain why smell is important and how to make the most of it is Rachel Herz. Rachel is a researcher who teaches at Brown University and Boston College and is author of the book The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell (https://amzn.to/3gtkP21)

A lot of people believe that playing classical music helps plants grow. People also believe that certain types of music will make babies smarter. But what does this research say? Listen and find out Dan Levitan author of This Is Your Brain On Music https://amzn.to/3jivqyJ

We all have things we want to do before we die. What often happens though is, people put off those experiences until later in life - often after they retire. However, for many experiences, it isn’t just having the experience – it is WHEN you have it. Some things are meant to happen when you are 30 not 70. Bill Perkins has given this a lot of thought. Bill is a hedge fund manager, Hollywood film producer, high stakes tournament poker player and author of the book Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life (https://amzn.to/2YEt31d). Listen as he explains how timing is so important when it comes to the experiences in your life. 

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People hate unsolicited advice – and they seldom follow it. Still, that doesn’t stop us from dishing it out to those we are trying to help. Well maybe there is a better and more effective way to influence people other than just telling them what we think they should do. I’ll tell you what it is. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/do-the-right-thing/201407/giving-people-advice-rarely-works-does

Some people have all the luck. But why? Why are some people luckier than others? Can you create a life that has more luck in it? Can you be one of those people that other people think of as lucky? Absolutely, says Janice Kaplan. Janice is the former Editor-in-Chief of Parade magazine and her new book is called, How Luck Happens: Using the Science of Luck to Transform Work, Love, and Life (http://amzn.to/2Dp0wiH). Janice joins me to discuss how luck really works and how anyone can craft a luckier life.

Organic onions, swordfish and gluten-free muffins are just 3 things you shouldn’t buy at the supermarket if you want to save money. I’ll explain why and give you a few other things NOT to buy. http://www.mc3cb.com/pdf_nutrition_articles/2011_3_8_7%20Worst%20Supermarket%20Rip.pdf

Has this ever happened…? You send an email or leave a voicemail for someone to get back to you – but they don’t. As a result, you start to imagine why they don’t. And the why is usually a negative story. Why do we do this? And how can we stop doing that? Scott Gornto is a therapist and author of the book , The Stories We Tell Ourselves: Stop Jumping to Conclusions. Free Yourself from Anxiety. Transform Your Relationships (http://amzn.to/2DjTHix). Listen as he explains this interesting quirk in human behavior and why it gets us into trouble.

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If you flip a coin and it comes up heads a couple of times in a row, chances are you would bet the next flip will come up tails. That is the perfect example of the “gambler’s fallacy.” Because the next flip is NOT more likely to come up tails. It gets gamblers in Las Vegas in trouble but it can also get you in trouble if you let it enter in to your decision making process. http://news.tamhsc.edu/?post=committing-the-gamblers-fallacy-may-be-in-the-cards-new-research-shows

You instinctively know about body language. When people act a certain way or don’t make eye contact with you – it causes you to make assumptions about them. Plus, how YOU act and carry yourself causes people to make assumptions about you. All this non-verbal communication is fascinating and Tonya Reiman, Fox News, contributor and author of The Yes Factor: Get What You Want. Say What You Mean (http://amzn.to/2Fuh7rp), joins me to offer some insight and advice to help you better use nonverbal communication to your advantage.

If you don’t have time to floss, maybe you should chew some gum. It seems that chewing gum can do a lot for your oral health but you have to chew the right kind of gum and you have to make sure you don’t chew it too long. Listen to hear the explanation. http://www.medicaldaily.com/oral-health-hack-chewing-gum-removes-100m-bacteria-10-minutes-similar-flossing-319120

What you eat turns out to have a lot to do with how well your brain works. Eat the right foods and your cognitive performance increases. Eat the wrong foods and the opposite occurs. Neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Mosconi, author of the new book, Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power (http://amzn.to/2HqihAA) explains the connection between food (and drink) and your brain and she offers her list of best and worst foods to eat if you want to optimize your brain’s performance.

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