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Wednesday, 1 March 2017

Organs of the Human Body Which No One Knows the Purpose of

9 Organs of the Human Body Which No One Knows the Purpose of

Even now in the 21st century, there are certain organs in the human body whose functions scientists still don’t fully comprehend.

We at Bright Side decided to tell you about a few of those parts of the body that most of us have heard about but could never understand what their purposes were.

The epiphysis

This gland produces the hormone melatonin. It’s produced only when it’s dark and is regulated by the body’s circadian rhythms.

Some fish, amphibians, and reptiles have a parietal (or third) eye instead of an epiphysis. It perceives different levels of light intensity but cannot produce images. It has a retina and the equivalent of a lens, but its functions are comparable to those of the epiphysis in humans: the regulation of circadian rhythms.

It’s entirely possible that when esoterics talk about the third eye, they have the epiphysis in mind. But for us, the epiphysis no longer has any function comparable to the eyes.

The tailbone

Many people know that the tailbone in the human body is a vestigial tail, but few know about its significant number of important functions. It helps to fix in place many different muscles and ligaments that are required for the functioning of the intestines and the genitourinary system.

In addition, the tailbone plays a role in distributing physical loads correctly when you change the position of your body.

The appendix

There are certain kinds of bacteria that live within herbivorous animals which help the latter digest cellulose. In humans, however, such bacteria are much less significant. The appendix, of course, is always at risk of becoming inflamed, in which case it requires urgent removal. It’s because of this that removing the appendix at birth was for a long time a standard policy in the USA. However, it turned out that children were then susceptible to slower physical and mental development and became sick more often.

The appendix is a kind of unique "farm" of useful bacteria which live inside our intestines. People who have had their appendix removed often find it more difficult to recover from being poisoned, and their immunity is often weaker.

The tonsils (glands)

The tonsils are an accumulation of adenoid tissue located in the epipharynx. They protect us from bacteria and viruses that we breathe in on a daily basis in large quantities.

Sometimes, if the tonsils remain inflamed for a long time, they can themselves become a source of infection rather than continue to protect the body. It is on these occasions that doctors usually recommend removing them.

The full immunological role of the tonsils remains, however, not entirely understood.

Nipples on men

The appearance of nipples is connected with the fact that, right after conception, the Y-chromosome is inactive, and so all embryos begin their development in the same way. It is only during the second month of development that the genes are "turned on." At this point, the first sex glands in males turn into testes and begin to produce male sex hormones. A significant amount of restructuring consequently takes place. However, the nipples remain in place.

The spleen

The spleen was once dubbed “a complete mystery.“ Its functions are still not completely understood. Nevertheless, we do know the following:

It produces lymphocytes and antibodies;

It gets rid of old red blood cells, the remains of which are sent to the liver;

It serves as a ”depot" for blood, which is released when the body copes with large physical loads.

The paranasal sinus

There is still no unanimous opinion regarding the functions of the paranasal sinus. According to different theories, the sinuses help to:

Reduce the relative weight of the bones in the skull;Produce a person’s voice, acting as a soundboard;Mitigate trauma by acting as a shock absorber;Warm up and dampen the air we breathe in.

The thymus/thymic gland

In the thymus, T cells are formed that combat viruses and infections. This process is most intensive in the first two to three years of life, and then its functions begin to decline. By the age of 30, the thymus stops functioning almost completely, and in elderly people there’s almost no trace left of it.

The vomeronasal organ

This organ is very well developed in animals. With its help, they can perceive volatile chemicals, which isn’t possible with an ordinary sense of smell. Animals also use it to pick up pheromones. Perhaps you’ve noticed your cat sniffing at something with its mouth open? This is all down to the vomeronasal organ.

Human beings also have this organ, but it’s nowhere near as sophisticated as it is in animals and looks like nothing more than a depression in the nasal cavity. Whether it serves any purpose for us remains unknown.

Preview photo credit depositphotos, depositphotos

Most Effective Exercises to Get Rid of a Double Chin

The 7 Most Effective Exercises to Get Rid of a Double Chin

Eating right and being physically active are a few examples of good habits that can help your body stay fit and young. But this is also true for our facial muscles which tend to lose their firmness as we age.

With that in mind, we at Bright Side have compiled a list of the best exercises designed to help return your face to its former glory.

Warming up the muscles

Just like before any other workout, you’ll want to warm up your facial muscles.

For this purpose, move your lower jaw forward and backward and then side to side. All movements should be performed slowly and smoothly without sudden jerks. Repeat the exercise 8-10 times.

1. The scoop

Open your mouth, and roll your bottom lip over your lower teeth. Imagine that you need to scoop water with your lower jaw. Move your head down in a scooping motion, and close your mouth while lifting your head.

While performing this exercise make sure that the corners of your lips are completely relaxed. Repeat 5-7 times.

2. Touch your nose

A double chin is also associated with weakness of the hyoid muscles. That is why they also need to be strengthened.

Stick out your tongue as far as possible, and try to reach your nose with the tip of your tongue. Keep your lips relaxed. Repeat 5 times.

3. The perfect oval face

If you want to return the shape of your face to a younger look and pull your cheeks up, do the following exercise: turn your head to the left, and pull your lower jaw forward, straining the muscles of your neck. You should feel the muscles on the left of your neck stretching. Then turn your head to the right and do the same movement. Repeat 5 times on each side.

4. "Kiss the giraffe"

Imagine you need to kiss a giraffe (or someone who is very tall).

Lift your face up, and look at the ceiling. Slightly bring your lower jaw forward, and pucker your lips as if you are going to kiss someone. If you are performing the exercise correctly, you should feel a strong tension in your neck. Hold the position for 5 to 8 seconds and release. Repeat 5 times.

5. Resistance

For this exercise, you need to make two fists and place them directly under your chin. Then begin to move your lower jaw slightly down on your fists, and strain your muscles while overcoming the resistance. The pressing force should gradually increase. When you reach maximum resistance, hold for 3 seconds. Then relax, and repeat the exercise 5-7 times.

6. Smile

Clench your teeth with your mouth closed, and try to stretch the corners of your lips as wide as possible. Now push your tongue against your hard palate, gradually increasing the pressing force. If you feel a strong tension in your chin muscles, then you have performed the exercise correctly. Hold this feeling of tension for 5 seconds, and then relax for 3 seconds. Repeat 5-8 times.

7. Puffy cheeks

Inhale deeply with your mouth, and fill it with air. Close your mouth, and puff up your cheeks. Now press your palms on your cheeks so that you feel tension in your muscles. Hold for 3-5 seconds, then release the air and relax. Repeat the exercise 5-6 times.

Source ladyformula
Illustrator Daniil Shubin, Photographer Roman Zakharchenko, Model Olga Zakharchenko for BrightSide.me
Based on materials from fitnesshealthzone, huffingtonpost

Fitness Myths You Need to Stop Believing

10 Fitness Myths You Need to Stop Believing

In the modern world, sport is almost as popular as it used to be in ancient times. Every second person goes to the gym, does yoga at home or runs in the morning. The number of misconceptions about fitness has inevitably increased along with the number of people who are trying to keep fit.

We at Bright Side decided to investigate, and found out just what’s true about fitness and what’s a myth.

Based on materials from proka4aem

Diet Plan That Actually Works

A Woman Came Up With This Miracle Diet Plan That Actually Works

Like any other woman who wasn’t satisfied with her body, I was looking for some miracle diet plan that would fit my needs. After a lot of researching and testing, I found this amazing diet. It’s not about losing pounds in a short time, but it does work.

I knew I had to change my eating habits, but my problem was the lack of time. I had to take the kids to school and do my everyday household chores. I never had enough time to cook a whole other meal just for myself, so I decided to substitute a couple of foods in my daily diet. Now, with the help of Bright Side, I’d like to share my discovery.

Bread

I replaced bread with hard biscuits, crackers, and brown bread. As the days went by, I also reduced the portions, and, little by little, I discovered that I didn’t want it that much even though I loved bread!

Sodas

Although I don’t regularly drink soda, when I do, I go with the light option. I’m also reducing the amount of sodas. However, if I can avoid drinking them, I do so.

Alcoholic drinks

I prefer not to have alcoholic drinks at all, but sometimes you find it hard to avoid having a drink, especially if you’re attending some event or meeting with friends. In this case, I choose wine over any other drink because at least it has health benefits.

Sugar

This was pretty simple to replace. There are many types of low-calorie sweeteners, so I just had to pay a little more attention to how to incorporate them into my meals.

Juices

This was a great change for the whole family: I put aside those artificially sweetened juices and started to drink natural ones. My kids also loved it.

Coffee

Black coffee was also very easy for me to replace with green coffee. Green coffee has multiple benefits, but the best thing is that it’s a natural fat-burning product. Its taste is a little different, but it’s pretty easy to get used to it.

Breakfast

Breakfast is our basic meal, and you should never skip it. You must have breakfast because it prevents you from gaining weight! So I decided to have breakfast every morning no matter what, and I made some replacements. For example, I substituted eggs and ham for eggs and vegetables.

Chocolate

To give up chocolate was not an option for me. How was I supposed to give up this delicious product? Although I’m not a big consumer, I like to have some while watching a nice movie. I decided to turn to dark chocolate: the more black and bitter the bar of chocolate is, the less fat it contains.

Fruits

Fruits are clearly great for your health, but there are some high-calorie fruits that should be avoided if you’re on a diet. I started to eat red fruits, which are a great source of antioxidants, and green ones, like kiwi or apples, that guarantee a great boost of vitamins.

Dressings

I love mayo, but after I searched the Internet I found out that I could actually replace it with so many options like cream cheese, avocado, olive oil, etc. I went with the light option, and the result was great.

Yogurts

I started to make homemade yogurts as natural is always better. However, sometimes I do buy light yogurts from the supermarkets. What I avoid at all costs is cream.

And yes! I also started walking for just 30 minutes every day. Well, almost every day ;-)

Source actitudfem, vitonica
Preview photo credit depositphotos

Scientists May Have Finally Cracked the Greatest Mystery Behind the Bermuda Triangle

Scientists May Have Finally Cracked the Greatest Mystery Behind the Bermuda Triangle

The mystery behind the Bermuda Triangle, a place where hundreds of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under unexplained circumstances, might have finally been solved — at least that’s what a Science Channel show claims.

A team of American scientists from the University of Colorado analyzed satellite weather images of this notorious area and noticed a series of unusual hexagonal clouds on them. The meteorologists theorized that these clouds may act as real “air bombs.“

It is believed they are the main cause of the deadly blasts of air which can easily exceed 170 miles per hour. These hurricane-force winds literally ”blow up" the air and can generate waves of more than 45 feet in height.

No ship is able to survive such a storm, and no aircraft is able to withstand such a wind.

Clouds don’t typically form straight edges. However, judging by the satellite images, the Bermuda Triangle is an exception to this rule. The announcement of this theory has motivated a lot of further research. Scientists from all over the globe are trying to figure out what the reasons are for such anomalies.

Let us recall that the Bermuda Triangle is a large area of the Atlantic Ocean between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda. This region is notorious for its mysterious phenomena. Reports go back to 1945 when five American torpedo bombers and a plane that was sent out to find them vanished without a trace. Since that day, another 75 aircraft and several hundred ships have been lost. The latest tragedy happened in 2015 when the cargo ship "El Faro" disappeared in this region.

Source mirror.co.uk
Translation and adaptation Bright Side
Preview photo credit horaciovelmont

things you should always keep secret

Seven things you should always keep secret

There are a few things which are always worth keeping to yourself. Telling the world about them — however much you want to — just won’t bring you anything good. Here are seven of the most crucial things we think you should always keep secret.

Don’t reveal your most ambitious plans. Keep silent about these until you’ve actually managed to fulfill them. Such plans often have weak spots and ill-thought out parts which you haven’t noticed; therefore, the chances are that someone could pick them apart quite easily, leading you to become too disheartened to even try to overcome them.Don’t deliberately share information about any good or generous deeds or charitable work that you’ve done. The greatest virtue lies in doing something good without hope of recognition. Boasting about such things can quickly lead to arrogance. If you feel the need to, perhaps you should evaluate why it is that you’re really doing these things — is out of altruism, or the desire to be praised?Never reveal the secrets of your lifestyle. It’s not worth bragging about how you’ve gone on a diet, or overcome your habit of sleeping too much in the morning, or stopped indulging your appetite for sex. If you’ve given up on worldly pleasures for the sake of spiritual goals, then it makes no sense to talk about this — your emotional condition needs to be harmonious, and such a desire to impress others and receive praise is a sign that it is not.Another thing it is always worth keeping silent about are those moments when you’ve shown courage or heroism. We all come up against various challenges every day — both in the external world and on the inside, in our own minds. Your achievements in dealing with both, should they become known, will be rewarded appropriately. It’s not for you to decide whether they are worthy of recognition — therein lies the lesson.Never share your thoughts on what you consider to be your enlightened knowledge of the universe and on questions of life and death. It’s only your interpretation, rather than objective truth, and the chances are you will only seem condescending to others when you try to convince them that they’re mistaken.Only in very rare cases will someone benefit from your thoughts on this subject.It’s never worth revealing any conflicts or problems in your family life to others. Always bear in mind: the less you divulge such secrets about your family to others, the stronger it will be. Such things can only ever be resolved within the privacy of your own home, between loved ones. The more you complain to others about them the harder they will be to overcome.Don’t talk about all the unpleasant things you’ve heard people say or do. Just as it’s possible to get your clothes dirty, you can also soil your mind. And the person who recounts all the foolish and awful things he hears and sees going on in the world as soon as he gets home is no different from the one who forgets to take of his shoes when he walks through the door.

Author Viacheslav Ruzov