Did you know that Philadelphia Cream Cheese doesn’t come from Philadelphia? Or that marshmallows were originally medicine for kids? This episode begins by looking at some fascinating and unusual origins of food names. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/health/at-home/odd-facts-7-iconic-products-164000529.html Despite the human need for social interaction, we keep shying away from it. People are less social than before and there are real consequences for that. Listen as we discuss why people ...
Feb 24, 2025•54 min•Ep. 1170
People talk about “the power of touch” – but what does this power do? When you hug or shake hands or put your arm around someone – what is so powerful about that. This episode begins by exploring the power of touch and reveals how it improves our lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R9qyWEJuDI The way the human memory works is amazing. Not always accurate – but amazing. How does memory work exactly? Why is it we remember some things so well and other things we don’t recall at all? Listen as w...
Feb 22, 2025•51 min•Ep. 1169
How dangerous can a pair of shoes be? Really dangerous, particularly if they have big heels. We begin this episode looking at the long story of high heel terror plus other interesting facts about women’s shoes. https://reut.rs/3rXNqoR & https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150521120924.htm Most day-to-day decisions you make based on your own judgment. Things such as what career path to take, who to marry, what to do to make yourself happy and other life-changing decisions you make all o...
Feb 20, 2025•54 min•Ep. 1168
When people see someone in public having a heart attack or stroke or other medical emergency, they often pull out their phones? Bad idea. This episode begins with something ER doctors want you to do and NOT do in a medical emergency. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14372699/er-doctor-medical-emergency-darria-gillespie-jay-ladde.html So much of what you do is driven by your subconscious mind. You don’t have to think to blink or have to consciously remember how to walk, or sit or eat – ...
Feb 17, 2025•55 min•Ep. 1167
Modern kitchen freezers are actually cruel to ice cream and other frozen foods. This episode begins by explaining why this is and why there is often ice crystals on top of your ice cream and how to prevent them. Source: Professor Richard Hartel author of the book Ice Cream (https://amzn.to/3jNcVrY). Unlike other animals, we humans have gotten really good at figuring out how to take food and make it taste even better. Why do we do that? And what is it that makes some food taste better than other ...
Feb 15, 2025•52 min•Ep. 1166
Why is white the most popular car color? While people like whatever color they like, car color can impact things like resale value and whether or not a car gets stolen. Listen as we begin this episode by delving into the world of car colors. https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/car-color-facts-and-fictions.html The roots of fast food are here in the U.S. So why is fast food more popular here than anywhere else in the world? What is the appeal? What are the origins of American fast food? Why do we ...
Feb 13, 2025•54 min•Ep. 1165
Why do you feel cold sometimes? The obvious answer is that you feel cold when you ARE cold. But could it also be that you feel cold because someone else is cold? In other words, is feeling cold contagious? Listen as this episode begins with explanation. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11340277/If-this-picture-makes-you-feel-cold-you-may-be-a-victim-of-temperature-contagion.html We tend to measure wealth in dollars. But financial wealth is only one of five types of wealth. T...
Feb 10, 2025•52 min•Ep. 1164
Is there a reason we have eyebrows? Pretty much every part of the human body has a reason for being there and eyebrows actually have three reasons. I begin this episode by explaining what they are. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58424/why-do-we-have-eyebrows Every relationship in your life started with small talk. Personal or professional, every encounter begins this way. Yet, as important as it is, a lot of people hate small talk and think they are not very good at it. Here with some great...
Feb 08, 2025•49 min•Ep. 1163
How many times have you wanted to ask for a raise but didn’t bother because you knew the answer would be no? Well, you probably should’ve asked anyway. This episode begins with some surprising statistics about the power of asking for a raise. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/getting-a-raise_n_6429324 The animal kingdom can teach us a lot about improving human health. For example, elephants almost never get cancer – yet humans do. Why is that? Pigs can teach us how to control pain. Dogs can teach u...
Feb 06, 2025•52 min•Ep. 1162
Seems like no matter how hard you try you never pick the fastest checkout line in the supermarket. Why is that? This episode begins by explaining why that often seems to happen and why it probably isn’t a problem worth concerning yourself with. https://fetch.com/blog/smart-shopping/why-we-always-pick-the-slowest-checkout-line At some point in your life, you have likely regretted NOT doing something because you just couldn’t muster up the courage. Being courageous is hard – yet we so admire coura...
Feb 03, 2025•51 min•Ep. 1161
We humans love novelty. We seek it out. While that can be good, it can also get us in trouble. This episode begins by exploring why we seek out new things, places and experiences and what happens after we do. Source: Winifred Gallagher author of the book New (https://amzn.to/3XsAxRb) Did you know that one of the reasons we gesture with our hands when we talk is to help us figure out what to say next? That is just one example of how thinking isn’t all about what goes on in the brain, according to...
Feb 01, 2025•51 min•Ep. 1160
After television, a big part of the ad budget for fast-food restaurants’ is spent on outdoor advertising like billboards. This episode begins with the impact of that advertising and some insight into how fast-food restaurants get you to eat their food. https://www.apa.org/topics/obesity/food-advertising-children You have undoubtedly had people in your life who inspired you. What was it that made them so inspiring? What are the necessary traits of an inspiring person? How can you be more inspirin...
Jan 30, 2025•52 min•Ep. 1159
Traffic accidents are an inevitable part of life. However, there are a few simple things you can do to improve your chances of NOT getting in an accident. Listen as I offer several proven strategies that will keep you and your car safer in traffic. https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-editors-tips-to-prevent-a-car-accident.html Serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins are 4 brain chemicals that can make you happy or make you miserable. And there are ways to regulate these brain ...
Jan 27, 2025•51 min•Ep. 1158
The origins of the names for popular food products often make interesting stories. For instance, why are they called marshmallows? Why is Spam called Spam? What do gators have to do with Gatorade? This episode begins with the origin stories of some iconic foods. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/health/at-home/odd-facts-7-iconic-products-164000529.html Some inventions have had profound effects on how humans see themselves and our place in the world. For example, the mirror, photography, tel...
Jan 25, 2025•50 min•Ep. 1157
When you use sarcasm in an email or text message, you are skating on thin ice. This episode begins by revealing the dangers of sarcasm in electronic communication and why it can get you in trouble. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/perceptual-asymmetries/201501/do-you-use-sarcasm-in-e-mails Universally, people love cute things. When you see a baby or a puppy or kitten, you react in a unique way. So, what is it about cuteness that we are attracted to? What happens to us internally when we s...
Jan 23, 2025•53 min•Ep. 1156
Do you know your IQ? Can you raise the number up or – are stuck with whatever that number is? This episode begins with some insight into your IQ including some of the unusual things that seem to affect it. Source: Psychologist Andy Williams author of How Do You Compare? (https://amzn.to/3E1Daor). Your body is an amazing machine. And when you understand some of the ways it works it becomes more of a marvel. Here to take you and me on a tour of important parts of your body is Dr. Jonathan Reisman....
Jan 20, 2025•54 min•Ep. 1155
Ever notice when you are nervous or stressed, the pitch of your voice goes up? Yet a lower pitch would likely be more useful in most cases because we associate a lower pitch voice with dominance and calm. This episode begins with some insight on how to tame your voice in stressful situations and not be betrayed by your own voice. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communications-matter/202101/why-you-need-pitch-your-voice-lower There certainly seems to be a fascination with the human butt. ...
Jan 18, 2025•49 min•Ep. 1154
How many calories do you burn up just eating and digesting the food you eat? It’s an interesting question and the answer depends on what kind of food you are eating. Listen as I reveal the basics of what is called the Thermic Effect.https://www.revolution-pts.com/blog/understanding-the-thermic-effect-of-food The amount of data being collected about you every hour is staggering – detailed, intimate data. What may be more shocking is how that data is used to psychologically target you. Joining me ...
Jan 16, 2025•55 min•Ep. 1153
In the online shopping world, there is something called “cart abandonment discounts.” Listen as I explain what they are and how you can save money on some of the items you want to buy as long as you are not in a huge hurry to buy them. https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/store-hacks/amazon-cart-abandonment-discounts Money is often a difficult subject for couples to discuss. One of the big reasons is that those discussions often turn into fights. But what if you could turn those discussions into ...
Jan 13, 2025•52 min•Ep. 1152
Sometimes your willpower seems pretty good but other times - especially right when you need it – it disappears. What if there was a way to boost your will power right when you need it most? This episode begins with a technique that can help you resist whatever that temptation when it is right in front of you. https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/clenched-muscles-assist-self-contro-10-10-20/ When you think about it, being happy isn’t something you do. Happiness is the result of some...
Jan 11, 2025•53 min•Ep. 1151
Why are dalmatians often associated with firefighters and fire trucks? Is it just a mascot thing or is there more to the story? Of course, there is more to the story and this episode begins with a quick explanation. https://www.livescience.com/33293-dalmatians-official-firehouse-dogs.html The world is full of optimists and pessimists. Which is better? How do we come to be one or the other – are we born that way? What does it mean to be an optimist and are there benefits to it? These things I exp...
Jan 08, 2025•54 min•Ep. 1150
At airports all over the world, luggage gets lost – sometimes forever. So, what happens to it? It can’t sit there in baggage claim forever. Well, in the U.S. a lot of the lost luggage makes it way to a place in Alabama and the contents of that luggage can be yours for a price. Listen as I explain. https://www.unclaimedbaggage.com You have heard people say, “Happiness is a state of mind.” But it also might be a state of body. There is some wonderful news about how what you do with your body can s...
Jan 06, 2025•55 min•Ep. 1149
In a public bathroom, which is better – drying your hands with a paper towel or using an air blower? If the goal is to walk out of the bathroom with clean hands, there is really only one choice. Listen and I will reveal what it is. http://lifehacker.com/5967976/ Whenever you buy something, you are making a decision – to buy it or not. Whether it’s which laundry soap to ourchase or which house to buy – it is always the result of your decision. What’s so interesting is what goes into that decision...
Jan 04, 2025•50 min•Ep. 1148
One fear many air travelers have is catching a cold or some other bug when they fly on an airplane. Why is it that a lot of people seem to get sick on a flight? Is it the air in the plane or maybe it's the bathrooms? Listen as I explain what the most common cause of getting sick is and how to protect yourself. https://www.healthpartners.com/blog/avoid-getting-sick-while-flying/ We often do things because – well, that’s the way we do things. Organizations are often very resistant to change and st...
Jan 02, 2025•54 min•Ep. 1147
We’ve all heard the advice that when you buy new clothes you should wash them first before you wear them. But what’s the reason? Is it more of a “just to be safe” idea or is there a real concern? This episode begins with an explanation.https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/11/wash-and-then-wear-unwashed-clothes-may-have-formaldehyde/index.htm Understanding the science of weight loss has come a long way in just the past several years. It isn’t just, “eat fewer calories than you burn.” The...
Dec 30, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1146
We know that smiling is a universal human expression of happiness. Everyone smiles - in fact, even babies born blind smile. What is the purpose of smiling? So, what does smiling do for you? Why are we attracted to a person’s smile? Listen as I begin this episode with a brief look at smiling. https://www.livescience.com/5254-smiles-innate-learned.html We have all kinds of rituals. There are religious rituals, family rituals, holidays rituals, personal rituals – rituals are everywhere. By definiti...
Dec 28, 2024•52 min•Ep. 1145
You might think that a good way to get closer to someone is to do them a favor. Yes, that might work – but there is another technique that is even more effective and takes less effort. This episode starts with an easy way to bond you with someone you want to get to know better. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-initiative/201605/the-power-merely-requesting-favor Scams and identity theft are a constant threat– and the scammers keep getting better and better. So, it is critical to unders...
Dec 26, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1144
What would happen if you were walking by the Empire State Building right at the time someone dropped a penny, and it hit you on top of your head? Listen as this episode begins with the science behind this hypothetical experiment that reveals whether you would live or die. Source: Bill Sones author of Can A Guy Get Pregnant? https://amzn.to/3ZZbwkF What does it smell like on the moon? What would it feel like to walk on other planets? These are some of the questions we explore as we take an imagin...
Dec 23, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1143
Restaurants are crawling with germs. It’s not all the restaurant’s fault – where there are people, there are going to be germs. This episode begins with a look at the germiest things in restaurants that you may want to avoid touching or at least wipe down. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/19/germ-infested-areas-restaurants_n_2159281.html Christmas is chock full of customs. We travel home for the holidays, we wrap Christmas gifts, we eat Christmas foods, we sing Christmas songs, and the lis...
Dec 21, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1142
Listening to music with air pods or headphones can damage your hearing. To prevent this, you need to understand the common causes of hearing loss. This episode begins with an explanation so you can avoid the problem while still enjoying your favorite music. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072 How many times have you heard people say, “You can’t change other people!” Well, that’s not exactly true according to my guest, Peter Bregman. Peter is a...
Dec 19, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1141
