14 Simple Ways to Super Charge Your Brain

Ever felt we could use a little more brain power? Well, here are some of the 14 very simple methods to super charge your brain that we can start doing right away.

2 Drink Apple Juice
Research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) indicates that apple juice increases the production of the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, resulting in an increased memory power.

3 Sleep well
Research indicates that the long-term memory is consolidated during sleep by replaying the images of the experiences of the day. These repeated playbacks program the subconscious mind to store these images and other related information.

8 Reduce Sugar intake
Sugar is a non-food. It’s a form of carbohydrate that offers illusionary energy, only to cause a downhill slump once the initial burst has been worn off. Excess intake of sugar results in neurotic symptoms. Excess sugar is known to cause claustrophobia, memory loss and other neurotic disorders. Eat food without adding sugar. Stay away from sweet drinks or excess consumption of caffeine with sugar.

10 Eat a light meal in the night
A heavy meal at night causes tossing and turning and a prolonged emotional stress while at sleep. It’s wise to eat heavy meal during the day when our body is in motion to consume the heavy in-take. Eating a light meal with some fruits allows us to sleep well. A good night sleep strengthens our brainpower.

11 Develop imagination
Greeks mastered the principle of imagination and association to memorize everything. This technique requires one to develop a vivid and colorful imagination that can be linked to a known object. If you involve all your senses - touching, feeling, smelling, hearing and seeing in the imagination process, you can remember greater details of the event.

Easy isn't it?

Breakthrough In Blocking Malaria Transmission

A team of researchers may have found a way to stop the transmission of malaria which will significantly prevent the spread of one of the deadliest diseases out there at the moment.

By disrupting the potassium channel of the malaria parasite, a team of researchers has been able to prevent new malaria parasites from forming in mosquitoes and has thereby broken the cycle of infection during recent animal tests.

By genetically altering the malaria parasite through gene knock-out technol-ogy, a research team consisting of scientists at the University of Copenha-gen and John Hopkins University, Baltimore, has prevented the parasite from going through the normal stages of its life cycle and developing a cyst (egg-like structure or occyst), which spawns new infectious parasites." As it is exclusively the parasites from these oocysts that can infect new individu-als, we were able to prevent the disease from being transmitted to the animals in our tests", explains Assistant Professor, Peter Ellekvist from the University of Copenhagen.

The findings have been published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, (2008 105: 6398-6402).

8 Medical Terms Your Doctor Uses to Insult You

Learn this list before you make a visit to a hospital or clinic. All that mumbo-jumbo medical talk which actually turns out to be insults made to sound like medical terms can be detected now after you read through this list!

#8. PRATFO
What It Means: Patient Reassured And Told to Fuck Off.

When It's Used:
When a patient comes into the ER more hysterical than ill, the doctor reassures the patient and asks them to leave. However, this acronym has gotten at least one doctor into trouble when he scribbled it in a patient's chart and then later was asked to explain it in court.

We're not saying you should ever lie in court, but in that situation you should at least consider it.

#6. Faecal Encephalopathy
What It Means: Shit-for-Brains.

When It's Used:
If you wind up in the emergency room because, say, you were trying to launch bottle rockets out of your anus, you can expect to hear this term thrown around. Latin, or pseudo-latin, is often used to convey unflattering terms and make it sound grandiloquent to the uninformed (or faecal-encephalopathic) ear.

Variations include Cranio-Rectal Syndrome and Cranial Rectosis, presumably for when the patient doesn't have shit for brains but merely has his head up his ass.

#4. SBI
What It Means: Something Bad Inside.

When It's Used:
When the medical staff encounters a strange complaint that doesn't meet any known diagnostic criteria. As much as you don't want to hear SBI as your diagnosis, it's still better than the alternate SVBI (Something Very Bad Inside) which means whatever it is appears to be killing you.

Either may be followed up with a "SWAG" (Scientific Wild-Ass Guess).

I think I'll be personally using #6 for awhile now. ;)

Humboldt Storage and Moving

Everyone will move at least once in their lifetime. You may be moving out from your parents' house, you may be moving to college, you may be moving to your newly bought home. Whatever the reason for you moving, you would require the services of movers. You don't expect to haul all your stuff alone now, do you?

Humboldt Storage and Moving is a Boston moving company that can cater to your moving needs. They are in the business of packing, storing, moving and unpacking people's lives. They can be trusted to take extra special care of your things and do not regard their responsibility as merely providing storage space, strong backs and trucks.

Humboldt is the oldest, most experienced Boston moving company in Massachusetts so you know they really can be relied on. They have professional movers not only for local moving assignments but they cater to your international moving needs too.

There is just so much information that you can get from a paid review. I find their website to be quite informative and would recommend you to visit their website if you're planning to move soon. If you find they provide exactly the service you are looking for, go ahead and hire them. If not, you can always continue searching for the right company for your moving needs.

10 Tips For Your Japan Trip

For those intending to study in Japan or even take a holiday trip there, here are ten tips that you should know before making that trip.

2. Table Manners

Some simple bullet points here:

- If you’re with a dinner party and receive drinks, wait before raising the glass to your lips. Everyone will be served, and someone will take the lead, make a speech, raise his drink, and yell “kampai!” (cheers).

- You will receive a small wet cloth at most Japanese restaurants. Use this to wash your hands before eating, then carefully fold it and set it aside on the table. Do not use it as a napkin, or to touch any part of your face.

- Slurping noodles or making loud noises while eating is OK! In fact, slurping hot food like ramen is polite, to show you are enjoying it.

- You may raise bowls to your mouth to make it easier to eat with chopsticks, especially bowls of rice.

- Just before digging in, whether it be a seven-course dinner or a sample at a supermarket, it’s polite to say “itadakimasu” (I will receive).

8. Bathing

Public bathhouses are alive and well in Japan.

Sento, or neighborhood bathhouses, can be found from the largest area in Shinjuku to a small town on the island of Shikoku.

Onsen, or hot springs, are very popular as weekend excursion resorts.

Unlike in western cultures, the Japanese bath is used after you have washed and rinsed, and feel like soaking in extra-hot water for 10, 20, 30 minutes. It’s an acquired taste to be sure, but can be very relaxing.

If you happen to be invited into a Japanese household, you will be given the honor of using the bath first, usually before dinner. Be extra careful so as to not dirty the water in any way; the sanctity of the ofuro (bath) is of utmost importance.

Take the time to visit a sento if you have the opportunity. These are places without barriers, without regard to skin color, age, or language… well, they are separated by sex with the exception of some mixed-bathing areas.

Lying in the hot water and slowly listening to my heart beat slow down is a time when I feel most attuned to Japanese culture.

Seriously, they have so many rules, I think I've to think a million times first before I do anything there!

IT Outsourcing

It is unthinkable that business owners nowadays totally disregard information technology from their business model. Even traditional businesses are jumping on the information technology bandwagon. If businesses shun information technology, it is only at their own loss since their competition will pull ahead with the help of information technology.

Although business owners may regard information technology highly, they may not know how to implement or integrate it to their business model. Fortunately, iCorps is able to help in that area. They are a company that provide New York IT Consulting services for anyone who requires it.

iCorps' IT consulting experts analyse and optimise your network's performance. IT outsourcing, consulting and management capabilities are offered ala carte or as a comprehensive program to outsource your IT department. iCorps takes the worry out of IT management, freeing you to focus on your business rather than technical network issues.

I find their website to be quite informative and I would recommend you to pay it a visit if you are looking for someone to help you integrate information technology to your business. There's just so much a paid review is able to tell you so browse through their website and judge them for yourselves.

Max Jordan Casinos

Online casinos are sprouting up like mushrooms in cyberspace these days. It is hard to determine which casino is most suitable for you with so many sites to choose from. Max Jordan Casinos is another site that reviews online casinos so you will be able to choose the right casino to meet your various needs.

Max Jordan provides tips that you can use not only for the online universe but also for the real world. Tips that Max Jordan provide include betting tips and slot machine tips. It doesn't matter if you are already a professional player or just a newbie, his reviews and tips will still be able to help you in a certain way. The site may not be the prettiest but it is the content that matters most, no?

Max Jordan even provides tutorials for games like blackjack, craps and online poker. With some useful tutorials and tips, you will lose that newbie tag in no time! Some may consider that I should know a little bit about the online casino business by now with the numerous reviews I've made thus far. However, there is just so much that a paid review is able to tell you. It is always best that you evaluate how useful the site is yourself.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Condoms

Think you know all about the protective rubber? Well, think again. Here are five things you didn't know about condoms.

1- Condoms have appeared in cave paintings
In Johnny Come Lately: A Short History of the Condom, author Jeannette Parisot claims the appearance of condoms in cave paintings are estimated to be 15,000 years old. Although Parisot notes that the condom is being used during sexual intercourse, that doesn't signify the condition for which the man was wearing the condom. This is another matter altogether, since the man in the cave painting could have been brandishing the condom for one of three reasons: some sort of ritual, as protection against pregnancy or as protection against an STD.

All three are reasonable possibilities. There is no cause to think that the clever minds behind cave paintings hadn't also discovered some connection between the sexual act and one of any number of outcomes, including pregnancy or a stretch of days featuring extremely painful urination.

5- Invisible condoms may be next
For all those folks forced to use leather, silk, velvet or rubber as thick as an inner tube, the invisible condom could only be a pipe dream. In this case, "invisible" actually means a gel that hardens according to increased temperatures.

Clinical trials on the invisible condom have been carried out by Quebec’s Laval University, in conjunction with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Centre Hospitalier de l'Universite Laval.

It is one of a number of products being developed which falls into the category of a female condom, some of which have received government approval. The Invisible Condom, however, is still awaiting approval.

Bet you didn't know those! :P

Top 10 Things Science Can't Explain

We like to think that science has the answer to everything. Well, unfortunately it doesnt'. Here are some of the ten things science has not been able to answer (yet).

8. Female Orgasms
After a whole lot of thinking, biology’s best minds are still confused.

6. The Speed of Light
Faster than a speeding photon: is it possible? Einstein stays no, but does everyone else?

5. The Placebo Effect
Take this pill and you’ll be cured, just as long as you believe me.

3. Yawning
Open your mouth and notice the shockingly fascinating mystery of the yawn.

1. What Came Before, What Will Come After
Wouldn't it be really boring if it was just blackness. However, anyone's guess is as good as ours.

Crazy Diseases

There are seriously some weird and crazy diseases out there, so crazy they scare me shitless! Have a look at some of these crazy diseases that you may never knew existed, until now.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
Type of Disease: Nerve disorder
Crazy Because: Causes searing pain as if on fire
Cure: Complex; disease may spontaneously resolve, but treatment usually only lessens symptoms

Imagine being tormented every waking moment of every day by searing pain in your limbs. Your arms feel like they are on fire, they are swollen, hot to the touch, and you sweat excessively. These are just a few of the symptoms of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), a poorly understood disorder defined by pain in the limbs that is way out of proportion from what is expected following a particular injury or harmful event, such as surgery or stroke. The disease is believed to be caused by an abnormal chain reaction of the sympathetic nervous system, the body system that regulates blood flow and other aspects of the skin. Experts liken the pain response to that of an engine revving out of control.

While the disease may spontaneously disappear on its own, many patients undergo intensive treatments for years just to lessen the pain. And for some patients, the pain can become so profound that they must undergo the most extreme and expensive of therapies -- being placed under a Ketamine coma -- to essentially reset the pain connections of the body. In 2003, under the guidance of German colleagues of renowned RSD specialist Dr. Robert Schwartzman, 14-year-old Lindsay Wurtenberg of the U.S. underwent Ketamine coma-therapy and successfully recovered from a particularly debilitating case of RSD that developed following a harmless spider bite. “I don’t think there is a worse pain problem,” said Dr. Schwartzman of Lindsay’s condition. He was probably right.

Trimethylaminuria
Type of Disease: Metabolic Disorder
Crazy Because: Causes patients to smell like rotting fish
Cure: None; limited treatment options

Trimethylaminuria (TMAU), also known as fish malodor syndrome, is a rare metabolic disorder that prevents affected individuals from properly breaking down trimethylamine (TMA), instead letting it build up in the body. TMA is then released in the breath, sweat, urine, and other body secretions, giving off a strong fishy odor that literally cannot be masked. For people with this crazy disease, frequent showering and the use of deodorants, perfumes and colognes are not enough; the smell remains, sometimes becoming so strong so as to fill entire rooms or even auditoriums. The result can be socially and psychologically devastating: "People think this disease is a laughing matter, but for the people who have it, it is not. This syndrome can be highly destructive to a person's personal and social life and to their work and career," Robert L. Smith, a molecular toxicologist at the Imperial College School of Medicine in London, told the Science News.

Currently, there is no cure for TMAU. Affected patients can only reduce the smell by restricting the diet to foods that are not converted to TMA -- a daunting task considering that everyday foods like eggs, legumes as well as certain meats and fish all contain the amino acid choline, a precursor molecule to TMA.

Seriously, if I had any of those diseases, I don't know how to live with myself.

7 Super Food That Boost Health

Introduce these seven simple everyday foods into your diet to help boost your health.

1. Spinach
Popeye was right: Spinach should be part of your diet. It's low in calories and high in nutrients. Research has shown that spinach aids in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, some cancers and cardiovascular disease.

2. Walnuts
Nuts are an excellent source of protein, fiber and vitamin E. Walnuts are the only nuts that contain a significant amount of omega-3s, and are known for their high antioxidant activity.

3. Honey
Honey isn't just for tea. You've probably relied on honey in the past to soothe an aching throat, but did you know it has been used to treat wounds and gastrointestinal problems? Honey acts as an antioxidant, a substance that can prevent the effects of free radicals, which we're exposed to from environmental toxins such as tobacco smoke or radiation and which can contribute to disease. Honey also contains oligosaccharides, which increase the number of good bacteria in the colon. The color of honey is relevant: the darker the honey the more antioxidants it contains.

4. Salmon
Salmon is a tasty fish that's chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial fats that can improve heart health. Salmon is also protein rich. Choose wild over farmed salmon, which has been shown to contain elevated levels of contaminants and is artificially colored.

5. Oats
Ten years ago, the FDA approved a label publicizing the association between a diet high in oat fiber and the reduction of cholesterol. Further research has proven this claim to be true: The fiber in oats lowers total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, or the bad type of cholesterol. With every 1 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol, heart-disease risk is lowered 1 to 3 percent. Oats also contain plant chemicals that have antioxidant properties.

6. Dark Chocolate
The good news: Dark chocolate is a potent antioxidant and can help reduce blood pressure. The potentially bad news: You should still keep your daily chocolate intake low, due to the fat and calories. Remember that darker is better because processing strips chocolate of some of its health benefits.

7. Blueberries
Sweet blueberries don't just make your smoothies and cereal taste better; they contain high levels of antioxidants. Some research has shown blueberries can slow degenerative diseases associated with aging and improve motor skills. Still other studies have shown the fruit to improve urinary tract health.

Don't overindulge on the dark chocolates though. ;)

Biology or Physics?

Some of these images at this University of Cambridge website come from physical science, some from biological science. Can you guess which are which? I didn't get all correct but was just a little off. How would you fare? Are you able to correctly identify all objects physical or biological?

Online Bingo Sites

Have you ever played Bingo before? It can be quite fun and addictive, don't you think so? Well, you can now play them online! Forget about those messy paper and pencil method. This is way easier. What else can't you do online these days, huh?

Before you embark on your quest to satisfy your bingo lust online, it is a good idea to find out where is the best online bingo sites out there. You wouldn't want to play in some horrible online bingo site, do you?

Online Bingo Sites.net is a haven for serious and casual bingo players alike. Not only will you find reviews of the best bingo sites online, but you will also have the opportunity to cash in on lucrative free bingo bonuses when you make a deposit. Playing bingo online is getting more popular every day just as the size of the online bingo jackpots are getting bigger by the day!

If you are worried about not being able to socialise the way you can at offline bingo sites, fret not. You can chat at the online bingo sites nowadays so you'll still be able to socialise like before! There's just so much that a paid review can tell you. My suggestion is for you to give the site a visit and you can judge its relevance yourself.