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Fast Food Has Gotten Worse For Your Health

Brendan Bures
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Fast Food Has Gotten Worse For Your Health

They don’t make fast food like they used to. In the case of calorie counts of menu items, this is literally true. According to a new study, fast food has increased by 30 calories over the course of the past 30 years, while desserts have seen a 62 calorie hike.

Published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the study examined 10 different restaurants and their food in 1986, 1991, and 2016. Arby’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr, Dairy Queen, Hardee’s, Jack in the Box, KFC, Long John Silver’s, McDonald’s and Wendy’s were all put under the microscope in the study.

RELATED: How To Control The Marijuana Munchies

Not only did calories rise, so did sodium content with a 4.6 percent increase per decade of daily recommended values. While the size of side dishes remained the same, portions for entrees rose by 13 grams per decade and 24 grams for desserts. In addition, menu items have all increased by staggering amounts. Over the time period of the researchers’ focus, entrée, sides, and dessert items increased by 226 percent, or 22.9 more menu items a year.

“Despite the vast number of choices offered at fast food restaurants, some of which are healthier than others, the calories, portion sizes and sodium content overall have worsened over time and remain high,” the study’s lead investigator, Megan McCroy, said in a statement.

Authors of the study researched fast food because Americans eat an exorbitant amount of it. Nearly 40 percent of American adults have eaten fast food in the past 24 hours, a different study indicated. More surprisingly, fast food intake tends to rise with similar increases in income levels.

RELATED: You Won’t Believe How Many Americans Eat Fast Food On A Daily Basis

Meanwhile, another study showed the consumption of “ultra-processed” foods like sugar cereal and candy directly impacted your chances of getting cancer.

“Given the popularity of fast food, our study highlights one of the changes in our food environment that is likely part of the reason for the increase in obesity and related chronic conditions over the past several decades, which are now among the main causes of death in the U.S.,” McCroy said.

5 Signs You’re In A Controlling Relationship

Maria Loreto
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A harmful and toxic partner can be hard to spot. And although many of us can show symptoms of toxic behavior, no matter our gender, age or sexual preference, it’s important to know the difference between a controlling person and someone who is just occasionally jealous.

Psychology Today reports that toxic people can be stereotypical bullies, but can also be much harder to spot. It’s important to stay informed and to know the signs of toxic people and toxic relationships in order to terminate them or try to find some solution. Here are 4 signs that you’re in a toxic relationship:

Your partner uses guilt as a tool

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Toxic partners can make their significant other feel very guilty over everyday things. And they can use this guilt later on as a way of winning arguments and getting what they want. This behavior is very common in toxic relationships, making victims feel bad for whatever they did and apologize over it, giving up their power.

You don’t have other meaningful relationships

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Isolating you is an easy way for a toxic person to gain control of you, cutting you from your support network and making you feel like the most special and necessary relationship in your life is with them.

Your partner’s jealousy gets in the way of your life

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Jealousy is a common behavior that most people have experienced. It should be managed since it can easily escalate into something harmful and toxic. Intense jealousy is scary, and should always be monitored, especially if it becomes a recurrent problem in your life.

You’re always being criticized

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RELATED: 4 Signs That Indicate You Might Be Polyamorous, Even If You’re Single

Constructive criticism is positive and helpful. Painful and mean criticism is not. It’s also a clear sign of a controlling person. The latter is usually constant and is sparked over little things, like appearance. These nit-picky, mean-spirited critiques can really harm your self-esteem and make you feel small and weak if you let them.

You find yourself avoiding fights

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You should be able to have a voice in your relationship and not be afraid to speak up. If you find yourself controlling what you’re saying in order to avoid a fight, that usually means that your partner has succeeded in manipulating and controlling you.

Researchers Have Statistical Proof That The Munchies Really Do Exist

Brendan Bures
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Researchers Have Statistical Proof That The Munchies Really Do Exist

Ah, the munchies. That stoner turn of phrase for when someone finds themselves deep within the haze of marijuana smoke, craving the junkiest of junk foods. While research over the past couple of years indicates that cannabis can be used to lose weight, many have used the munchies defense to indulge in snack food binges after getting high.

“A widespread urban myth is that marijuana consumption is associated with the so-called munchies, namely an irresistible urge to consume large amounts of snack or junk food, such as ice cream, cookies, candies and the like,” researchers wrote regarding a new study that focused on the effect legalizing marijuana had on snack food sales.

RELATED: How I Lost 50 Pounds Using Cannabis

Published in the Social Science Research Network, the study found sales of cookies, potato chips, and ice cream all increased in regions where recreational cannabis was legalized. Using monthly scanner retail data from 2006 to 2016, researchers discovered increases in chip sales by 5.3 percent, cookie sales by 4.1 percent, and ice cream sales by 3.1 percent.

“The increase in sales starts at the time of the legislation becomes effective,” researchers wrote. “The effect slightly decreases in the semesters thereafter for ice cream and chips, but not for cookies.”

RELATED: Why Mangoes And Marijuana Are A Match Made In Heaven

The professors behind the study—Alberto Chong from Georgia State University and Michele Baggio from the University of Connecticut—emphasized the statistical significance of those numbers, even though they don’t appear to be that large. Their point: “It is rather important to understand not only the direct impact of cannabis use but also any unintended behavioral spillover effects.”

“I’m not an advocate for legalization or not,” Baggio told Medical News Today. “I’m just interested in whether there are unintended consequences to the policy.”

Marvel Will Introduce The First Gay Superhero To Their Cinematic Universe

Maria Loreto
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After the release of Captain Marvel, everything is up in the air for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although the conclusion of the Avengers saga and the Spider-Man sequel will be released this year, the future of the MCU isn’t as easy to track now that major players like Captain America, Iron Man and Thor may be leaving the franchise.

According to fan speculation, this new phase of the MCU will rely mainly on Captain Marvel, Black Panther and Dr. Strange, who will act as this generation’s three main leaders. More characters will enter the fold, but these three will be the threads that hold it all together.

The Hashtag Show reports that Marvel is currently looking to cast an actor between the ages of 30 to 49, who physically looks like a superhero, and who’s preferably openly gay. It’s unknown if the company is trying to be more inclusive in their casting or if they really want to be the first to break down the barrier and introduce the first gay superhero to theaters.

RELATED: How Will Marvel Replace Actors After The Next ‘Avengers’ Movie?

The Marvel movies are one of the most successful and enduring film franchises because they follow a pretty strict formula that doesn’t allow much wiggle room for ideas that go against the norm. It took the company over a decade to finally introduce a female superhero, and that same amount of time to give an opportunity to female directors and creators. Still, the success of Black Panther and the predicted box office performance of Captain Marvel could be the factor that pushes Marvel to be more inclusive.

This new character is rumored to be one of the leads in The Eternals, Marvel’s upcoming superhero ensemble movie. The film will be directed by Chloé Zhao, the first woman of color to direct within the Marvel Universe, and is slated for release November 2020.

Keeping A Journal Can Improve Your Love Life And Mental Health

Maria Loreto
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Keeping A Journal Can Improve Your Love Life And Mental Health

The practice of keeping a journal and writing down your thoughts is experiencing a resurgence of sorts, much like polaroids and vinyl records. The more digital our world becomes, the more the analog appeals to us.

Maintaining and regularly updating a journal may sound like a waste of time and energy, but it’s a practice that’s been proven to have therapeutic effects by helping people organize their thoughts and feelings and providing a fresh perspective on their problems.

Sex and relationship expert Julia Pugachevsky tells Cosmopolitan that journaling has had a positive effect on her romantic relationship, helping her treasure the good things about her partner and giving her the chance to let go of her insecurities. Taking a minute to think and write down a sentence or two about your relationship can deepen your connection with your significant other. “Not only can having some undivided ‘you time’ to journal be a great way to do something nice for yourself, it can also help you gradually learn what really matters to you. And this can be especially effective when it comes to your love life,” she explains.

RELATED: What Is A Bullet Journal And How Can It Organize Your Life?

Journaling will help you get to know yourself and become more aware of the qualities that you’re looking for in a partner, providing a lot of benefits whether you’re single or in a relationship. It’s a helpful tool for dating, especially now that apps like Tinder and Bumble facilitate many unsuccessful first encounters. “Even taking just five minutes to journal after a date–during which you can honestly reflect on whether it was great or “meh”–can help you stop wasting your time on people who just aren’t right for you,” says Pugachevsky.

Reading your journal entries will allow you to notice harmful patterns in your behavior, unhelpful attitudes and recurring insecure thoughts. The more you practice the habit, the more benefits it’ll provide for you and the more you’ll see how much your behavior changes and improves over time.

How Would Whole Foods Selling Marijuana Impact The Industry?

Mike Adams
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How Would Whole Foods Selling Marijuana Impact The Industry?

Could you please point me in the direction of the marijuana aisle, please?

Although it could be some years before we start seeing major retail chains, like Walmart, selling marijuana in the United States, this concept will likely become part of the central vein of big business once the federal government finally ends its ban on the drug. There is even a possibility that some retailers could get in at some basic level before Congress legalizes nationwide, and it looks like Whole Foods Market might be one of the first to jump into the game.

It was just last week that Whole Foods founder Steve Mackey suggested that if Texas pushes forward anytime between now and the apocalypse and legalizes marijuana for recreational use, his Lone Star locations would probably start stocking marijuana. “If cannabis is ever passed in Texas, chances are good that grocery stores will be selling that too,” he told a crowd during a Texas Tribune event. “You just never know what happens over time with markets. They change and evolve.”

RELATED: How Texas Cannabis Activists Are Battling Stoner Stereotypes

The idea that Whole Food could eventually start selling marijuana products could be somewhat painful for the marijuana industry as a whole. The grocery chain, which is owned by Amazon, could easily swoop in and provide customers with more trust and convenience than traditional dispensaries.

And while Amazon has not said whether Mackey’s comments translate into it also selling cannabis products one day when there are fewer questions surrounding the legality of it all, we have no doubt that it would give it some serious consideration. After all, the popular site already carries a variety of hemp products, and it also has a marketplace for alcoholic beverages. So why not weed?

RELATED: Texas Marijuana Program Leaving Many Behind, Including Children

The most likely scenario for Whole Foods at this time is for it to starting carrying hemp-derived CBD product. But the company will likely wait until the FDA offers some guidance on the matter. Edible CBD products have been the subject of much scrutiny since Congress legalized industrial hemp last year.

As it stands, only ten states have legalized the leaf for recreational use. There is a chance that a few more (Illinois, New York, New Jersey) could join the list before the end of 2019. But so far it is difficult to tell whether the new Congress is going to take the issue to the next level over the course of the next few months. There has been a slew of bills filled, but so far nothing has been discussed in either chamber other than the issue of giving pot commerce the freedom to set up bank accounts. The reality of Whole Foods and other retail chains giving a serious look at the cannabis industry is really contingent on how things shake out on Capitol Hill. At the moment, nothing seems likely to change.

R. Kelly Lashes Out Over Sex Abuse Allegations; Queen Latifah Stands By Jussie Smollett After Alleged Staged Attack

Naughty Gossip
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R. Kelly Lashes Out Over Sex Abuse Allegations; Queen Latifah Stands By Jussie Smollett After Alleged Staged Attack

R. Kelly lashes out over sex abuse allegations in interview with Gayle King

R. Kelly swears he “didn’t do this stuff” and he’s “fighting for his life” in his first interview since “Surviving R. Kelly” dropped and new allegations of sex abuse surfaced.

“I’m very tired of all of the um, lies, I’ve been hearing things and seeing things on the blogs, and I’m just tired,” he told Gayle King on “CBS This Morning” on Wednesday.

The lies that bothered Kelly most, he said, included “that little girls trapped in a basement, helicopters over my house, trying to rescue someone who doesn’t need to be rescued because they’re not in my house.”

“[I did] lots of things wrong when it comes to women but I apologized in those relationships,” he said. He adamantly denied breaking any laws when it comes to women.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Buqh8T1D8v8/

“Everybody says something bad about me. Nobody said something good. They was describing Lucifer. I’m not Lucifer. I’m a man. I made mistakes, but I’m not a devil.”

Kelly blamed “the power of social media” for spreading rumors about his alleged abuse and giving them traction.

“No. No. No,” he said when asked if he’d ever had sex with any minors, adding that his accusers were “absolutely” lying. “I have been assassinated. I have been buried alive from these lies.”

“I don’t need to. Why would I? How stupid would it be for R. Kelly, with all that I’ve been through in my way, way, past to hold somebody — that’s stupid,” he shouted.

He fumed, “That’s stupid! Use your common sense. Forget the blogs, forget how you feel about me. Hate me if you want to, love me if you want. But just use your common sense. How stupid would it be for me, with my crazy past and what I’ve been through — ‘Oh, right now I just think I need to be a monster and hold girls against their will, chain them up in my basement, and don’t let them eat, don’t let them out, unless they need some shoes down the street from their uncle!’”

Kelly then got up and shrieked, sobbing, “Stop it. You don’t quit playing. Quit playing. I didn’t do this stuff! This is not me! I’m fighting for my f—king life!”

He cried, “It’s not about music, it’s about having a relationship with my kids.”

“I need help. This is the kind of help I need. I need somebody to help me not have a big heart. My heart is so big. People betray me and I keep on giving to them.”

Kelly was acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008 that centered on a graphic video that prosecutors said showed him having sex with a girl as young as 13.

Queen Latifah standing by Jussie Smollett after alleged staged attack

Queen Latifah is standing by “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett.

The “Girl’s Trip” actress said she supports the publicly scrutinized actor after he was arrested last month and charged with disorderly conduct for filing a false police report for a hate crime he allegedly staged against himself in January.

“The guy I’ve seen has always been someone who cares about people, who cares about others, and who’s very kind and who’s always been cool and sweet,” Latifah, 48, told Zainab Salbi, host of Yahoo News show “Through Her Eyes.” “And that’s just the guy I know. So until I can see some definitive proof – which I haven’t seen yet – then, you know, I gotta go with him until I see otherwise.”

RELATED: The Queen May Bestow This Rare Honor Upon Meghan Markle

She said she simply hopes “everything works out in the end and everybody basically comes out unscathed.” Latifah once appeared on “Empire” during a crossover episode with FOX’s “Star,” a series that she is a regular.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said last month that Smollett, 36, orchestrated a “phony attack” in order to take “advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.”

Kate Beckinsale’s ex tells Pete Davidson to ‘run,’ ‘be careful’ of actress

Kate Beckinsale gave a sassy response when a fan mentioned Pete Davidson after they were reportedly spotted cozying up at a party Sunday.

While Kate Beckinsale basks in the splendor of her fresh relationship with Pete Davidson, her ex-boyfriend, comedian Matt Rife, is urging the “Saturday Night Live” mainstay to watch out.

RELATED: Finally! Ariana Grande And Starbucks Team Up For New Drink

The funnyman told TMZ outside of the iconic Laugh Factory in West Hollywood he thinks Davidson, 25, should pump the brakes with Beckinsale, 45.

“Advice for Pete? Man-to-man… run,” Rife, 23, said before clarifying his remark. “Enjoy it. Enjoy it while you can – I hope they’re both happy and can build to where it’s an established relationship… I wish them both the best. I don’t have any solid advice, just be careful.”

WATCH: ‘Gongbang’ Videos Let You Watch People Study For Hours

Amy Hansen
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WATCH: ‘Gongbang’ Videos Let You Watch People Study For Hours

There’s a new trend among college kids. Actually, it isn’t that new, rather new to those of us who are no longer in school. They’re called gongbang videos and, not unlike ASMR videos where you listen to soft noises or mukbang vids where you watch people eat, these videos have a very unique following.

Gongbang, also known as “Study With Me,” are basically videos of someone studying for hours. These visual study buddies help people feel less alone, which ultimately helps them concentrate and up their productivity game.

RELATED: Understanding The Blissful And Bizarre World Of ASMR

Business Insider spoke to the creator of one of these popular YouTube channels called The Man Sitting Next To Me, who is studying to be an account and livestreams himself prepping for tests — sometimes for hours. He tells BI that “When you’re studying by yourself, you can feel alone. But they can reduce their loneliness by getting the sensation of studying with other people. ”

He says the first benefit his viewers get by watching him is motivation. “By watching other people studying, they can also get motivated to study hard. And for myself, by studying with all of you, I can prevent myself from getting lazy and continue to focus with my study.”

Another YouTuber, Jamie Lee, runs a channel called  TheStrive Studies, which has nearly 160-thousand subscribers. Her videos come with music and no music. They range from 33 minutes to more than two hours. The latter has racked up 2.4 million views.

She started filming herself while she was in med school.

Lee tells Business Insider that her videos help people focus, especially in today’s age of electronic devices. “Every time they’re tempted to do something on their phone or go somewhere on their website, they kinda look up and see that I’m still studying on the screen, so it kind of motivates them to keep studying and stay focused on what they’re supposed to be doing.”

Lee’s last video was 10 months ago, which makes sense now that she’s no longer in med school. As for TMSNTM, “I promised the people in my community to continue gongbang for the rest of my life. So I’m gonna continue. But I will add more content like tax advice.”

Can Using Marijuana Actually Lead To Reefer Madness?

Richard Faulk
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Can Using Marijuana Actually Lead To Reefer Madness?

The medical consensus is that there is a real, if weak, connection between marijuana use and psychotic disorder. However, cannabis doesn’t cause the disorder, it only triggers it.

The oldest way of stigmatizing a drug is to link it to madness. This strategy goes at least as far back as the ancient Greeks. As far as cannabis goes, I assume many readers have watched Reefer Madness while high at least once.

The cackling, hollow-eyed, disheveled-haired dope fiend of the 1930s endured in the popular imagination into the 1970s. And there was plenty of anecdotal and even medical evidence to support this perception.

A still from the 1936 propaganda film ‘Reefer Madness.’ /Wikimedia Commons/Miriam Boeri, Bentley University

Indeed, a 2014 medical literature review from Yale University cites a source as early as 1845 that describes an episode of cannabis psychosis. On the strength of that example —plus hundreds of more case studies, surveys, and other medical reports — the researchers conclude that “cannabis may be a component cause in the emergence of psychosis, and this warrants serious consideration from the point of view of public health policy.”

RELATED: Re-Criminalizing Cannabis Is Worse Than 1930s Reefer Madness

But if you dig into this claim, you’ll see it’s a far cry from saying that a single puff will inevitably compel you to loosen your tie, maniacally seek out jazz music, and then jump out a window.

Photo by rawpixel.com

The medical consensus is that there is a real, if weak, connection between marijuana use and psychotic disorder. However, cannabis doesn’t cause the disorder, it only triggers it. In other words, you won’t get schizophrenia from smoking weed; but if you’re genetically or otherwise inclined to schizophrenia, heavy cannabis use can help the disease emerge. (Of course, there are caveats to and dissents from this consensus. This NPR report lays out these positions clearly and with absolutely no science-talk.)

Counterpoint: Cannabis Can Calm Your Inner Demons

That’s more or less the conclusion of a second literature review, this one from 2012 by researchers at the University of São Paulo and King’s College London.

One reason for such conflicting conclusions is the fact that marijuana not a simple drug. It contains some four hundred chemical components, about 60 of which are cannabinoids that have (poorly understood) biochemical effects on the human body.

RELATED: Reefer Madness Reaches Absurd Levels On ‘Fox & Friends’

The 2012 review examines, not the whole plant, but just two cannabinoids: THC and CBD. It’s the THC that gets us high and which, in high enough doses and with the right (or is it “the wrong”?) user, can cause “psychotomimetic symptoms”—that is to say “symptoms that mimic a psychotic break.”

On the other hand, CBD has no psychoactive effects. This is generally accepted. What the 2012 review contends, however, is that it actually works to mitigate the intoxicating effects of THC, just as the peaceable brown gargantua, Sanda, struggles to restrain the destructive rampages of Gaira, his green-haired brother. It therefore concludes that CBD might have a possible use as an antipsychotic medication.

Are You Going To Give Us A Straight Answer?

So, will smoking weed be the cause of your descent into madness, or will it be your deliverance? Perhaps, like SNL’s New Shimmer, it could be both.

Why Do ASMR Videos Make People Sleepy?

Maria Loreto
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You’ve probably seen or heard an ASMR recording, which produce a strangely pleasant feeling. These Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos can depict simple tasks, like people quietly and neatly folding clothes, magazine pages flipping, or someone speaking softly into a microphone.

According to those who swear by ASMR, the pleasant sensations associated with it — described as an initial tingling feeling on your neck that travels all the way down to your toes — leave you feeling relaxed and sleepy, depending on the situation.

There are not a lot of studies explaining ASMR, but the movement has gained a large following, even making it onto a Zoe Kravitz beer commercial:

RELATED: Dab Melt Videos Are The Latest To Join The ASMR Craze

People can experience ASMR via meditation or by watching a video or listening to an audio file. Sleep.org reports that although no one understands how the phenomenon works, there are a few theories as to why it makes people feel safe.

Explains the website:

It could be that the videos remind you of your childhood (perhaps, for example, you watched your mom do the same action as a kid, so it’s comforting) or that the simple sounds lull you into a relaxed state.

There are hundreds of ASMR Instagram accounts and even podcasts devised to help insomniacs sleep. It may be a fad,  but there’s nothing risky about giving it a shot. Even if the videos don’t help you sleep, they’re always pleasant and distracting.

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