I have a list of 3 things that are good for our hearts – and a couple that aren’t, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. We’ll start with the good:
Optimism. A positive outlook can lower our risk for heart disease. That’s because feeling optimistic relaxes the body and mind – by lowering levels of stress hormones in our blood. And Harvard studies show, optimistic people have a 50%reduced risk of a cardiovascular event compared to those who are pessimists.
Also good for the heart: Tea. Green or black. It can reduce levels of bad cholesterol and improve artery function.
One more thing that’s heart healthy: Magnesium. It plays a crucial role in regulating your heartbeat… and getting enough magnesium daily could slash your risk of cardiac disease risk by 22%. So load up on magnesium superstars like whole grains, nuts, and leafy greens.
Okay – now here are the 2 things that harm our hearts:
Noise. Traffic and airport noise aren’t just annoying – they can literally make your stress levels rise, which increases blood pressure. Get some earplugs!
And, anger is hard on the heart. The chances of suffering a heart attack more than double in the two hours after an angry outburst. That’s due to sky-high levels of adrenaline and cortisol that constrict arteries.
I have the magic phrase that’s guaranteed to shut down any argument with your significant other and get you back on track. It comes from Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Dr. Rebecca Hendrix… It’s “I see where you’re coming from.”
Why does that work? Because it shows your partner that even if you don’t agree, you can see things from their perspective. It lets them know you’re listening and lets them feel understood.
In a study, researchers asked real couples to discuss hot-button issues. And regardless of what they were arguing about – or who was right – people who felt that their partner understood their point of view felt happier with their relationship overall.
Dr. Hendrix says, one of the biggest problems couples have is holding on too tightly to their views. But when you open yourself up to understanding where your partner is coming from it becomes a discussion, not an argument. So remember this phrase: “I see where you’re coming from.”
What we eat throughout the day can help us sleep better at night. So here are some foods to add to your diet to help you get better quality sleep.
For starters, get moremagnesium. According to the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, people who get enough magnesium in their daily diet are less likely to have trouble sleeping. That’s because it’s an important mineral for relaxation. It helps neurotransmitters in the brain shut things down at night, so we can rest. To get the optimal amount, all you need is a handful of nuts or seeds daily.
However, if you’re not getting enough magnesium, you’re probably also deficient in Vitamin D. Because without enough magnesium, Vitamin D can’t be metabolized properly. Meaning, Vitamin D remains stored and inactive in your body. And a vitamin D deficiency can lead to fatigue, too. So get plenty of magnesium from your food – things like almonds, bananas, beans, broccoli, brown rice, cashews, egg yolks, and sunflower seeds… and take a vitamin D supplement.
Another sleep-booster: Eat more complex carbohydrates from high-fiber foods. They digest more slowly, so you won’t have blood sugar spikes that can disrupt sleep. So, think oatmeal, whole fruits, lentils, or 100% whole-grain toast.
One final sleep-booster: Sprinkle the spice turmeric on your dinner. It’s a powerful anti-inflammatory that promotes a sense of calm and boosts sleep quality.
David Byrne’s American Utopia, the Spike Lee-directed TV special presenting former Talking Heads singer David Byrne‘s critically acclaimed Broadway show of the same name, won two awards Sunday at the 2021 Creative Arts Emmys ceremony.
The program was a winner in two technical categories — Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special.
The program, which premiered on HBO and HBO Max in October 2020, also will vie a trophy in the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) category at the 2021 primetime Emmy Awards, airing live this Sunday, September 19, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
The American Utopia show features Byrne accompanied by 11 musicians, dancers and singers who move freely about an almost-empty stage. The production includes monologues by David connecting performances of songs from his 2018 American Utopia album, as well as Talking Heads songs and several other Byrne solo tunes.
For more details about the Creative Arts Emmys, visit Emmys.com.
David Byrne’s American Utopia, the Spike Lee-directed TV special presenting former Talking Heads singer David Byrne‘s critically acclaimed Broadway show of the same name, won two awards Sunday at the 2021 Creative Arts Emmys ceremony.
The program was a winner in two technical categories — Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special.
The program, which premiered on HBO and HBO Max in October 2020, also will vie a trophy in the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) category at the 2021 primetime Emmy Awards, airing live this Sunday, September 19, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
The American Utopia show features Byrne accompanied by 11 musicians, dancers and singers who move freely about an almost-empty stage. The production includes monologues by David connecting performances of songs from his 2018 American Utopia album, as well as Talking Heads songs and several other Byrne solo tunes.
Another music-themed winner at the Creative Arts Emmys was the documentary The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, which won the honor for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera). The doc premiered on on HBO and HBO Max in December 2020.
For more details about the Creative Arts Emmys, visit Emmys.com.
Songs by Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Kool & the Gang, Donny Hathaway, Delfonics and other soul and R&B artists are featured on the recently released soundtrack of the award-winning documentary Mr. Soul!
The film tells the story behind the groundbreaking public television variety program Soul!, which ran from 1968 to 1973 and featured interviews with and live performances by Black artists, musicians, writers, poets, politicians, activists and more. The show was created, hosted and produced by enigmatic producer, broadcaster and promoter Ellis Haizlip. Mr. Soul! was written, directed and produced by Ellis’ niece, Melissa Haizlip.
Among the many guests who appeared on the show, which came to be known as America’s first “Black Tonight Show,” were Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Roberta Flack, Muhammad Ali and author James Baldwin.
Mr. Soul!, which originally was released in 2018, premiered last month on HBO Max. For more info about the doc, visit MrSoulMovie.com.
The soundtrack is available now as a digital download and via streaming services. Here’s the album’s full track list:
“Show Me Your Soul” — Lalah Hathaway & Robert Glasper
“The Ghetto” — Donny Hathaway
“Express Yourself” — Charles Wright
“Over the Rainbow” — Patti LaBelle
“Grazing in the Grass” — Hugh Masekela
“If I Were Your Woman” — Gladys Knight and the Pips
“Didn’t I Blow Your Mind” — Delfonics
“I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel to Be Free)” — Billy Taylor
“Chocolate Buttermilk” — Kool & the Gang
Move over Myers-Briggs, we have a new personality test, courtesy of K.Flay.
The “Blood in the Cut” artist has created a quiz that will tell you which song off her new EP, Inside Voices, you most resemble. You’ll answer “True,” “False” or “Neutral” for questions such as “I tend to think before I speak” and “I always follow the rules.”
K.Flay apparently took the test herself, and ended up getting the song “Dating My Dad,” which features Blink-182‘s Travis Barker. “TYPICAL CANCER AM I RIGHT,” she says.
Inside Voices was released in June. It also includes the single “Four Letter Words” and the Tom Morello collaboration “TGIF.”
which inside voices song are you??? i made a personality test to help you figure it out 🙂 you’ll also get linked to a playlist that represents your 👽 vibe ✨ take the quiz now & reply with the song u get. i got dating my dad TYPICAL CANCER AM I RIGHT ♋️https://t.co/ioE9KbQHu7pic.twitter.com/BVaav0UMMc
The outing, dubbed the Rise of the Machine tour, is set to kick off February 21 in Portland, and will wrap up April 3 in San Francisco. Other artists on the bill include Fear Factory and Dope, as well as Mushroomhead and Twiztid on select dates.
On the tour, Static-X will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their 2001 sophomore album, Machine. The band previously launched a 20th anniversary tour for their 1999 debut, Wisconsin Death Trip, during which they introduced Xer0, the mask-wearing mystery singer who now fronts Static-X in tribute to the late Wayne Static.
“We are so excited to finally get back out on the road,” Static-X says. “We plan to play most of the songs off of both Machine and Wisconsin Death Trip, as well a number of nice surprises that are being incorporated into the set list.”
For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Static-X.com.
Meanwhile, Static-X is planning to release a deluxe 20th anniversary reissue of Machine on February 18.
Nicki Minaj isn’t in attendance at this year’s Met Gala, which is currently underway in New York City, and she revealed that it’s because she hasn’t been vaccinated for COVID-19.
“They want you to get vaccinated for the Met,” the rapper tweeted. “if I get vaccinated it won’t [be] for the Met. It’ll be once I feel I’ve done enough research. I’m working on that now.”
She added, “In the meantime my loves, be safe. Wear the mask with 2 strings that grips your head & face. Not that loose one.”
Nicki also revealed that she recently contracted COVID after prepping for the MTV VMAs and shooting a video. Last week, Nicki announced that she would not be performing at Sunday’s VMAs as she’d planned, but did not give a reason why at the time.
In response to a fan on Twitter who posted about needing to be vaccinated for certain jobs, Nicki added that she is open to getting the vaccine in the future. “I’m sure I’ll b vaccinated as well cuz I have to go on tour, etc.,” she wrote.
(NEW YORK) — This 93-year-old grandmother is dancing her way into the heart of millions online.
Marie Francis O’Brien, affectionately known as “Fran” or Fran the Hip Gram on TikTok, began dancing at the age of 15 when she would perform in shows for WWII servicemen and said she has been dancing ever since.
In July, O’Brien began making videos dancing with her granddaughter, 33-year-old Allison Krause, to help cheer up O’Brien’s daughter, Colleen Krause, who was battling lymphoma. The two wanted to make her smile while she was going through chemotherapy.
“Allison came over and said, ‘Mom is so sad, and she looks really ill … Let’s make a funny video to make mom laugh,'” O’Brien said. “We made a video, we danced and everything, and it did make her laugh, which I was so happy. That’s all we wanted to do.”
The next day, her granddaughter told her she put the video on TikTok. In a few short months, her dancing videos are now getting millions of views on the social media platform, and her account has over 100,000 followers.
“This is very new to me, because I never knew about TikTok,” O’Brien said. “It’s just fantastic. And if it can bring joy and laughter, and these silly videos can make people laugh. That’s all I want.”
“The thing that makes my grandma even more happy is that she’s able to respond and comment and talk to people who are dealing with the loss of their grandmother or not being able to see their grandparents during COVID,” Allison Krause said. “She gets comments saying how much those videos have meant to them through some tough times. She lights up when she hears that.”
The TikTok account has since become a family affair, with all of O’Brien’s grandchildren pitching in. Her 27-year-old granddaughter, Kerry Krause, recently starred alongside her in a TikTok of the two dancing together that has 6 million views. Her other grandchildren, 38-year-old twins Caitlin and Nicholas, help with the content also.
“This lady has been ready for the limelight for a very long time,” Caitlin Krause joked. “She’s been our little star for as long as I’ve been alive for sure and spreading joy to us for many, many years.”
O’Brien’s grandchildren are thankful they are able to spread joy to others through their silly videos and are happy that they can share their grandmother and the lessons she has taught them with all of their new followers.
“She just has the most positive outlook on everything,” Kerry Krause said. “She’s our inspiration, a bright spot in all of our lives.”
“She doesn’t let anything slow her down,” Allison Krause said. “She wants to enjoy every, every minute that she can and live life to the fullest. … It puts things in perspective for us to take a step back and try and be positive when we’re all dealing with difficult times.”
