Something You Should Know Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media

There is a lot of common summertime advice. For example, don’t go swimming for a half hour after you eat. Don’t scratch a bug bite. Don’t touch someone who has poison ivy because you might catch it. Are these things true or summertime folklore? This episode starts with some answers. https://www.silive.com/healthfit/2012/07/summer_myths_debunked.html
Do you know what toxic positivity is? It’s the philosophy that says to look on the bright side. Try to stay positive no matter what. Don’t worry – everything’s going to be just fine. We often say these things to comfort people, but it may be doing more harm than good. That’s according to my guest, Whitney Goodman. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and author of the book, Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed With Being Happy (https://amzn.to/3cwrhcf). 
You may know your chronological age, but do you know your biological age? There is pretty strong evidence that how you live your life can accelerate or roll back your biological age, according to my guest, Morgan Levine. She is an assistant professor of pathology at Yale University School of Medicine and author of the book, True Age: Cutting-Edge Research to Help Turn Back the Clock (https://amzn.to/3zaRepw). Listen as she explains what you can do to slow or reverse the aging process so you stay as young as you can for as long as you can. 
The old advice to, “Stop and smell the roses” may be more important than you ever thought. It appears the scent of a rose can improve your memory, your dreams and even your happiness. Listen as I explain. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1059329/How-sweet-dreams–simply-smell-roses.html and https://www.nature.com/news/2007/070305/full/news070305-10.html
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Will a medication work better if you believe and expect it to? This episode begins with some compelling evidence that having faith in a medical treatment has a real impact on just how well it works. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/placebo-effect
Imagine a world where people are not polite. What would it be like if we weren’t civil to each other and didn’t care? Our willingness to be polite is a cornerstone of our civilization. But Lord knows, we are not all polite all the time. Are women more polite than men? Do the rules of politeness change? Can you be impolite and still be liked and admired? What are the benefits of being polite? These are some questions I tackle with Louise Mullany. She has taught the science of politeness at the University of Nottingham for the past 25 years, where she is a professor of sociolinguistics. She is also author of the book Polite: The Art of Communication at Home, at Work and in Public. (https://amzn.to/3xVN9Jo)
Many parts of the job search process can be outsourced – except one. The job interview. That is all you! Whether you have to interview virtually or in-person, job interviews can be stressful. How well you perform can spell the difference between getting an offer or not. Yet, it seems many people try to “wing it.” That turns out to be a really bad idea. While it’s true you can’t predict what you’ll be asked specifically, preparation is still a key factor according to my guest Sam Owens. He is the founder of Sam's Career Talk (https://www.samscareertalk.com/) where he provides career coaching services and helps people land their dream jobs Sam has worked as a chief marketing officer for three multi-billion-dollar companies and he is author of the book, I Hate Job Interviews: Stop Stressing. Start Performing. Get the Job You Want (https://amzn.to/4f7xJSX).
I know several people who claim MSG is really bad for you. Is it really? What does the science say? Listen to hear how it got such a bad reputation and what the truth is about how MSG affects people.https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-msg-got-a-bad-rap-flawed-science-and-xenophobia/
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A lot of people don’t bother taking a summer vacation. What’s maybe more surprising is that many who do take a vacation spend some of the time doing work! It’s more of a “work-cation.”  Listen as I reveal some facts and stats about vacations and work. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/half-americans-work-while-vacation-feel-guilty-taking-one
When people talk about “getting healthy”, they usually mean exercise, lose weight and eat better. While those are admirable goals, something is missing – building muscle and getting stronger. It’s clear that the older you get, and the more you “diet to lose weight” – the more muscle you lose, which can have serious negative effects on your health. And cardiovascular exercise does little to build muscle. The links between muscle and health are not well known by most people but you are about learn a lot about it from Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. She is a board certified physician in family medicine and author of the book Forever Strong: A New Science Based Strategy for Aging Well (https://amzn.to/4d5eW8X).
Dreams are interesting. We all have them and they are often weird and unusual. Do they mean anything? When you look at the research, there is a lot of disagreement about what dreams are, why we have them and what they are good for. Here to shed some light on what we do and do not understand about the dreaming process is Melanie Gillespie Rosen. She is an assistant professor at Trent University in Canada and author of the book, Dreams: Brief Books about Big Ideas (https://amzn.to/4cBziqB)
We could probably all use a few mental health strategies when life throws us a curve ball – or worse. Whether it is fighting with your inner critic or dealing with toxic family members or just finding the motivation to get through the day, it can all be a little overwhelming. Joining me with some practical help is Liz Kelly. Liz is a psychotherapist, clinical social worker and author of the book This Book is Cheaper Than Therapy: A No-Nonsense Guide to Improving Your Mental Health (https://amzn.to/3xPVYV6).
Some commonly refrigerated foods should actually not be chilled at all. For these foods, refrigeration actually helps them spoil faster. What food are they? Listen and I will tell you. https://stilltasty.com/
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The consensus seems to be that drinking coffee has several excellent health benefits – and now there is another one you probably haven’t heard before. This episode begins with the explanation. https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/body/food/can-your-coffee-habit-help-protect-you-skin-cancer
You have most likely seen a bully in action and were maybe reluctant to intervene. After all, it’s not your problem. There is actually a name for this – it’s “The Bystander Effect.” It is when people don’t step in and call out a bully. Why does that happen? Why do we sometimes leave it to someone else or no one at all when clearly someone has stepped over the line? Have you ever thought what would happen if you did step in? And if you do decide to intervene, what’s the best way to do it so you don’t escalate the situation? Here with some answers and insight is psychologist Catherine Sanderson, a professor in Life Sciences at Amherst College and the author of Why We Act: Turning Bystanders into Moral Rebels (https://amzn.to/3vfUgrs)
You know what an idiom is – right? Idioms are little phrases that work their way into our conversations that help us make a point. For example, play with fire, move the goal posts or drink the Kool-Aid. Ever wonder where these phrases come from and why they take on this new meaning? Do other languages have idioms? Joining me to explore this fascinating quirk in our language is Gareth Carrol a senior lecturer and researcher in linguistics at the University of Birmingham and author of the book, Jumping Sharks and Dropping Mics: Modern Idioms and Where They Come From (https://amzn.to/3J5XnaX).
Summer is the favorite time of year for many people. Still, too much of a good thing can be a problem. Listen as I explore how summer weather can impact your mood and mental state. https://www.livescience.com/21431-hot-temperatures-mood.html
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How much you like and enjoy a certain food is influenced by many things besides the food itself. The utensils, the color of the plate, etc. This episode begins with some interesting examples of this and why, if you are eating yogurt, you want to use one particular kind of spoon. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/utensils-can-influence-food-taste-how-much-you-eat-study-finds/
One thing we all must face is – death. As inevitable as it is, it’s not a topic most of us like to discuss. However, I think you will find this conversation to be different. Julie McFadden is a hospice care nurse with a unique take and unique perspective on death and dying as someone who deals with it every day. Is it possible to have a “good” death? What do people talk about in their final days and moments? What does Julie think about an afterlife? (She has a great story!). Julie has over 1 million followers on TikTok,(https://www.hospicenursejulie.com) she has been featured in Newsweek, USA Today, the Atlantic, Daily Mail and she is the author of the bestselling and highly acclaimed book Nothing to Fear: Demystifying Death to Live More Fully (https://amzn.to/3VWvN77) 
Have you noticed we have words in English that almost mean the same thing as other words? For example, persuade and convince -what’s the difference? Or typeface and font – aren’t they the same? What about assume and presume? And is there a difference between the deep web and the dark web? Here to explain these fascinating and subtle differences in our language is Eli Burnstein. He is a humor writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker and other publication and he is author of a book called Dictionary of Fine Distinctions: Nuances, Niceties, and Subtle Shades of Meaning (https://amzn.to/4cOURU8).
When you have an important decision to make, you may want to pause and have a snack first. Listen as I explain why eating can help with decision making and what exactly you should eat first. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2010-01-decision-sugar.html
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While “digital dementia” is not a real medical diagnosis, you still see it everywhere. People are so reliant on (and overloaded by) technology that they don’t remember the simplest things. Listen as I explain the real problem with digital dementia and why we all need to be concerned. https://www.neurocenternj.com/blog/digital-dementia-how-screens-and-digital-devices-impact-memory/
I’m sure you have heard that having family, friends and other human connections is important. But what you may not know is just HOW important. Most people today have fewer close connections than people in previous generations. Yet the science is clear that having real people in your life is essential to your health, happiness and longevity. Joining me to explain how this works and why it is so important is Kasley Killam. She is an internationally recognized expert on the topic who has worked with organizations such as Google, the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the World Economic Forum to facilitate building more socially healthy products, workplaces, and communities. She is author of the book, The Art and Science of Connection Why Our Social Health is the Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier (https://amzn.to/4cynFRi).
How many times have you been told to – “Use your imagination” to try to figure something out or come up with an idea? Have you ever wondered what your imagination actually is? Why are some people’s imaginations more fertile than others? How can you tap into your imagination and use it to your advantage? All of these questions and more are addressed by my guest Albert Read. He is Managing Director of Condé Nast in Britain where he currently oversees British Vogue, GQ, Wired, & Condé Nast Traveller. He is also author of the book The Imagination Muscle: Where Good Ideas Come From (https://amzn.to/4cw9xrw).
It's common to send or bring flowers to someone who is sick. That brings up a question: Does it really help? Do get-well flowers actually help people get well? Listen as I reveal the interesting explanation. https://www.floweraura.com/blog/healing-power-get-well-soon-flowers-scientific-perspective
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