Do aphrodisiacs actually work? For those of you who don’t know, an aphrodisiac is a food that is supposed to have one job and one job only: to increase sexual tension in a room. An au-natural Viagra. There’s some pretty fun ones tossed around: chocolate, figs, oysters, strawberries, almonds and bananas (tee hee). There’s some [...]
Archive for the ‘Guru Kate’ Category
Guru: Unpacking the real truth on fats
February 7th, 2012 by Kate Lindsley
What is the difference between “healthy” and “unhealthy” fats? As promised, here is the master clarification between healthy and unhealthy fats. By healthy, I mean polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Don’t be frightened by the sounds of these chemical structures. It’s merely describing the types of bonds between carbon molecules due to how many hydrogens [...]
Guru: What’s the difference between “good” and “bad” cholesterol anyways?
January 31st, 2012 by Kate Lindsley
The “good” cholesterol you’re talking about is actually a high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and the “bad” cholesterol is a low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Big words for small molecules. These lipoproteins are made in the liver and packaged differently, which results in different densities. Both of them are lipids packaged with proteins to transport fat around the body. [...]
Guru Kate: Pen ink plus your skin
January 24th, 2012 by Kate Lindsley
Is it actually dangerous to write on your hand (or any skin for that matter)? After attempting to research all types of inks in all types of pens, I have come to the conclusion that this is a subject of overwhelming breadth. There are cheap pens and expensive pens. Ballpoints, gel, fountain, and permanent. Oil [...]
Guru Kate: Hinder the holiday weight
December 13th, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
How can I go from October to December without gaining holiday weight? Holidays are the best. Stores distribute garland and Christmas lights like they’re survivalist kits, office shindigs pop up at every opportunity and everyone can retreat to their childish ways. The haunting truth is that even if you want to act like you’re eight [...]
Guru Kate: The woes of winter
December 6th, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
Why do my eyes tear when it’s cold out? Unless you love weather below zero, the answer to this question could just be crying. But if you’re like me, you’re tearing up for no good reason. Your eyes would beg to differ. Keeping your sensitive eyeballs and their associated fluids necessary to see is a [...]
Guru Kate: Dieting tips
November 29th, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
Can cinnamon make you lose weight?
It feels so good to write that this isn’t a hoax developed by people who want to gain cult status. There is a realistic background to this spice’s magical powers. It won’t be the only thing you should do to lose weight; it’s not like you can just take the cinnamon challenge (YouTube it) while watching SpongeBob and expect your BMI to plummet as low as your IQ.
Guru Kate: The mysteries of milk
November 8th, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
How do they make “low fat” or “skim” milk? When the milk comes out of the cow, 3.5% of that liquid is fat. Then it is pasteurized (a specialized heating process that zaps bacteria) and sold as whole milk. If the dairy wants to sell 2%, 1%, or skim milk, it has two options to [...]
Guru Kate: The benefits of filtering tap water
November 1st, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
Why should I filter my water? There is such a large market for filtered water because of suspected contamination of municipal water, the taste associated with certain ions in the water and because of trace minerals that can impact your health over time. Every city’s water is different, however, and therefore citizens of different metropolises [...]
Guru Kate: Figuring out campus food
October 25th, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
Guru Kate explores where the healthiest places to eat on campus are and what options are available for students who are stuck in the middle of campus with no time or no transportation to grab some grub off campus.
Guru Kate: Dietary Dilemmas
October 18th, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
How many fruits and vegetables do I actually have to eat every day? Can I get away with eating all of them on one day of the week, and eating Lucky Charms the other six days? As easy as “banking” your produce sounds, it doesn’t really make any sense from the benefit point-of-view. The [...]
Guru: The facts behind the flu shot fuss
October 11th, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
Should I get a flu shot? Ok, my initial reaction to this question was, “Hell no.” Then I thought about it a bit, read some good articles and opened my mind. I am a conspiracy theorist, convinced. Now I think that yes, you should get the flu vaccine, but only IF you fit into the [...]
Guru Kate: Hurricanes and jobs on campus
September 28th, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
Why do wider hurricanes inflict so much damage, even if they’re Category 1 or 2? Although autumn in Alaska means early winter, it signals Indian summers and capri-pant season elsewhere. Along the eastern seaboard, storms whip up and can inflict major damage. Hurricane season is the real deal. Take, for instance, Hurricane Irene several weeks [...]
Guru Kate: Tackle emotion; eliminate odors
September 21st, 2011 by Kate Lindsley
Why do women cry more than men? Presumably to make men as uncomfortable as possible. Just kidding – if that were true, this guru would repel every man on the planet. I’m a first class crier. The ASPCA commercials with the sad puppies and kittens played to Sarah McLaughlin music, the part where a barracuda [...]
