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CDC Warns About Snuggling With Hedgehogs
People will just about keep anything as a pet these days. Sometimes, that can get you into trouble. Turns out that 11 people across the country have now been infected with an illness transmitted by pet hedgehogs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning for those that have pet hedgehogs. Their advice is to not cuddle or get too close to these pets as they found the bacterial infection, caused by a certain strain of Salmonella, in samples collected from hedgehogs in some of the infected peoples’ homes.
Its reported that 10 of the 11 infected people confirmed recent contact with hedgehogs, and one person is now hospitalized because of the illness. More than half of the cases were in children under the age of 12. The states affected by the outbreak are Texas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado.
Source: Fox News
A Credit-Card-Sized Smartphone Exists
We all remember the Palm Pilot style phones of the early 2000s, right? It was the coolest new investment our parents were making at the time, and we all drooled thinking of the day we could sneak their device away from them for ten minutes while we played games on them. Palm is back – but this time with a simpler gadget.
If you’re tired of your giant smartphone consuming most of your free time, it might be time to downgrade. That’s where Palm’s new model comes in. It’s only the size of a credit card, and it only performs basic tasks. You’re still going to need that smartphone, though. This bad boy needs to be synced up to something to work.
But if you’re heading out to your little cousin’s game, a family dinner, or a night out where you won’t need ALL of your smartphone’s features, you can leave your main device at home and leave with just the Palm phone. The whole thing is only less than four inches tall and two inches wide
If you’re really looking to spend less time on your gadgets, you’re not going to what to use the Palm for Internet surfing or social media scrolling. The pages just don’t look right on the device. But it’ll help you with all of your calling and texting needs on a night out!
Source: Business Insider
Going Outside For Five Minutes Can Improve Your Mood
You can load up on all of the self-care tips you need for your bad moods. Grab a drink, take a bath, make yourself a nice meal, do a face mask…there are tons of options! But there’s one very simple option that we often overlook. Sometimes, all it takes is five minutes outside to really turn your bad mood around.
Seriously! According to the “Journal of Positive Psychology,” a five-minute break from what you’re doing can be SUPER helpful. And going outside while you take that break? Better still. Even if it’s a little rainy outside, getting some fresh air is way better than breathing next to that coworker you hate in your office. And if it’s sunny? We don’t have to make a case for that. Get out there!
The next time you know it’s time to take a step back from whatever you’re doing, consider taking a step outside instead of sitting in the bathroom and scrolling through Instagram. You’d be amazed what a little “air in your mental conversation” can do for your mood! And sitting at your desk staring at your packed schedule definitely isn’t going to help anything. GET OUT THERE!
Source: LifeHacker
People Are Naming Their Pets After Brunch Foods
Would you name your dog Waffles? It seems plenty of people would because new research finds that food-related pet names are on the rise. A report from Rover.com looked into the most popular dog names of 2018 using data on more than a million dogs and finds that 5% of all dog names are food related.
Brunch foods seem to be favorites, they’re up 12% from 2017, with names like Biscuit, Cinnamon, Muffin, and Waffles topping the list. Other food-inspired names on the rise include Couscous, Crisco, Cheetos, Pasta, and Ramen. And alcohol-related names are trendy, too.
The most popular boozy-themed monikers are Whiskey, Porter, Guinness, and Brandy. But one libation-linked dog name that’s on the decline? Rosé, which is down 44% this year.
Source: Food Network
Study: Just Thinking About Your Partner Can Lower Stress
Next time you feel a stressful situation taking over, try thinking about your partner. A new study finds that just thinking about your S.O. could help lower your blood pressure just as well as being with them in real life. So if you don’t actually have that shoulder to lean on, just knowing you have your loved one’s support can help you manage stress better.
For the study, researchers divided participants who were currently involved in a romantic relationship into three groups: one that would spend time with their S.O., one that would think about their S.O., and one that would think about their day. Then each group dipped their foot into cold water for four minutes, to cause stress, and their blood pressure and heart rate were measured. And while the group who actually spent time with their mates in the flesh had a slight edge, those who just thought about them showed similar drops in blood pressure compared to the third group.
So what did the “thinking-only” about their partners group do to lower stress? They were told to close their eyes for 30 seconds and visualize a detailed image of their partner or them doing something as a couple, and to really make the mental picture as vivid as possible. So next time you’re faced with a stressful situation, give it a try it to calm yourself down.
Source: Shape