The 3 subjects on today’s Medkit are Why do we hiccup? Lief smart patch that helps you control stress and introducing Grandma’s remedies, a new section where we get to suffer in the name of health, so you don’t have to.
Why do humans hiccup?
It is safe to assume that you don’t remember your first hiccup since it probably occurred while you were still in the womb.
Hiccups are bursts of inspiratory activity that occur when your diaphragm is irritated. Now the diaphragm is a muscle at the bottom of your lungs, right above your stomach. When inhaling, the diaphragm contracts downwards in order to pull air into the lungs. When exhaling, it relaxes and allows air to flow out of the lungs.
Sometimes this muscle can become irritated. When this occurs, it contracts, making you take a sudden gasp of air. When the rushing air hits your throat, it causes the vocal cords to close suddenly and a hiccup is born.
Everyone has a quirky remedy for the hiccups. However, breathing into a paper bag is often the best solution. Doing this will cause a rise in carbon dioxide, making the diaphragm relax and thus stopping the spasms in their tracks.
The Lief smart patch
The Lief smart patch is a wearable device developed to help you calm down and focus in as little as 3 minutes. This is achieved by teaching the user how to control the body’s reactions in moments of stress through breathing exercises.
What you do is, in the morning, when you wake up – You simply stick the Lief smart patch underneath the pectoral muscle.
Once it is on, the Lief smart patch monitors your heart rate variability, which is basically the amount of time between each heartbeat.
A low heart rate variability is linked to distraction and a poor performance, while a high score is linked to anxiety and distress.
When the Lief smart patch detects signs of stress, it begins to vibrate in a determined rhythm in order to guide the breathe so that your body and mind are restored. All you have to do is exhale each time the device vibrates.
It takes only 3 minutes to improve your natural stress response with these breathing exercises.
In addition to tracking your heart rate, breathing, and mood via an ECG sensor, it also provides basic fitness data such as your steps, distance and calories.
It sends all of the data it has collected to a support app that helps you record your thoughts, emotions, your behaviors, and sensations thus allowing you to uncover and untangle thinking patterns that are negatively affecting your body.
Grandma’s remedy – Boiled Plum Brandy for the cold
Today we’re starting off with the most popular Romanian traditional cure for the common cold.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we’re talking about boiled tuica with honey and pepper. Now, tuica is a traditional Romanian plum brandy. The alcohol can vary depending on how and by who it is made, but the real stuff should have a proper 50 degrees.
If you ask any Romanian about homemade treatment for the common cold they’ll promptly recommend the boiled plumb brandy recipe that has been passed down for generations.
Anyways, the theory behind this remedy is that it helps soothe the symptoms of cold, such as a sore throat, lack of appetite, fatigue, all while helping you sleep and restore your body.
Well honestly if you drink enough of this stuff I don’t think you can feel anything going on through your body, and well alcohol does do a pretty good job on making you hungry and knocking you out for the day.
But on a serious note, drinking alcohol while sick increases the risk of dehydration and will definitely not help “kill off” any germs. If you want a good night’s rest and relief from a sore throat, a cup of warm tea is a healthier alternative.
Author’s Note
If you enjoyed today’s Medkit and missed out on the previous episode you can access it here: Why do we yawn and why is yawning contagious? – MedKit .
Also, let us know in the comments bellow of any crazy or weird folk remedies from your part of the world and we will test them out!
[ssm_form id=’1341′]
One Response