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Scientists Find a Protein That Helps Make Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s

May 8, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

A new study reveals a protein that helps make an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s possible. Scientists found that abnormal blood levels of many proteins could signal the development of dementia up to five years before diagnosis. Before these findings, most of these proteins did not connect to dementia or Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health led the study.

Researchers analyzed blood samples of over 10,000 middle-aged and older adults for the study. The scientists took the samples and stored them for previous large-scale studies decades earlier. The scientists found that abnormal blood levels of 38 proteins increased the risk of developing Alzheimer’s within five years. Among the 38 proteins, 16 seemed to result in an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, up to two decades in advance.

The researchers point out that many of the risk markers may occur due to slow cognitive decline from Alzheimer’s. However, they found that high levels of one protein, SVEP1, likely directly contribute to the disease process. The findings were published in the journal Nature Aging on May 14, 2021.

“This is the most comprehensive analysis of its kind to date, and it sheds light on multiple biological pathways that are connected to Alzheimer’s. Some of these proteins we uncovered are just indicators that disease might occur, but a subset may be causally relevant, which is exciting because it raises the possibility of targeting these proteins with future treatments.” -Senior author Josef Coresh, MD, PhD, MHS, George W. Comstock Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Bloomberg School.

Currently, over six million Americans live with an Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis. It’s the most common form of dementia, which results in cognitive and physical decline. Researchers have searched for a cure for decades, but to date, no treatments exist to slow or stop the disease.

How specific proteins could help with early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s

Scientists say that making an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s gives patients the best outlook. Treating Alzheimer’s before dementia symptoms begin developing could stop the disease altogether. Thus far, scientists have focused on two major Alzheimer’s brain pathology features to evaluate patients’ risk.

Amyloid-beta proteins, known as plaques and tau proteins, have been the focus of scientists researching Alzheimer’s risk. Brain imaging of plaques and blood or cerebrospinal fluid levels of amyloid-beta or tau have been able to predict Alzheimer’s well in advance.

However, scientists have noticed a significant flaw in this method of diagnosing Alzheimer’s. Humans have thousands of other vital proteins in their cells and blood. In recent years, scientists have made many advancements in measuring these proteins from blood samples. For this study, researchers wanted to analyze whether these techniques could also help make an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

The study about proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease

The scientists analyzed blood samples of over 4,800 late-middle-aged participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) research. Since 1985, researchers have run a large epidemiological study of heart disease-related risk factors and outcomes in four U.S. communities.

A laboratory technology company called SomaLogic collaborated on the study. Using a recently developed technology, SomaScan, they recorded blood levels of almost 5,000 distinct proteins in the ARIC samples. After analyzing the results, the team discovered that abnormal levels of 38 proteins led to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s within five years.

Next, they used SomaScan to measure protein levels from over 11,000 blood samples from younger ARIC volunteers from 1993-95. They found that, of the 38 proteins, 16 were linked to an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s within two decades.

Essential proteins linked to early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s

To validate these findings, scientists analyzed results from a different patient population. They studied effects from a previous SomaScan of blood samples taken from Icelanders from 2002-06. That study also evaluated proteins, including 13 of the 16 identified in the ARIC analyses. Among those 13 proteins analyzed, researchers linked six to an increased Alzheimer’s risk over a 10-year follow-up period.

In another analysis, scientists compared those proteins with data from past investigations into the genetic factors contributing to Alzheimer’s. They determined that the SVEP1 protein didn’t just increase the likelihood of an early Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Instead, it triggered the disease.

While scientists don’t yet fully understand how SVEP1 functions, some studies have linked it to other diseases. This year, a study found that the protein was a risk marker for atherosclerosis, which causes heart attacks and strokes.

Other proteins which could help make an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s include several essential immune proteins. This reiterates previous findings over several decades, which have found an association between Alzheimer’s and immune overactivity in the brain.

Researchers will continue using SomaScan and other similar techniques to study proteins in blood samples from long-term studies. They hope to identify potential pathways that trigger Alzheimer’s to improve treatments for the devastating disease. They’ve also studied how protein levels in the ARIC samples can predict other conditions, like vascular disease in the brain, kidneys, and heart.

Final thoughts about the study discovering proteins that help make an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s

In a new study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, scientists found proteins identifying Alzheimer’s much sooner. Specifically, a protein called SVEP1 is associated with increasing Alzheimer’s risk and triggering or driving the disease. Specific proteins in the brain signal the development of Alzheimer’s up to two decades in advance of diagnosis.

Perhaps this study will lead to earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and more advanced treatments.

The National Institutes of Health helped support the study with grants.

The team hopes to result in better treatments or earlier diagnosis of the deadly disease by learning this. Currently, no cure exists to eradicate or even slow Alzheimer’s. However, research may offer hope to Alzheimer’s patients, as identifying the proteins is the first step in preventing the disease.

10 Reasons Why You’re Not Happy Even If You Have Everything In Life

May 8, 2022 by Lakeisha Ethans

So you have it all. You have a good job, a safe home, and supportive family and friends. You should be happy, but you aren’t. What could possibly be wrong? Potentially, a lot of things. No one is immune to unhappiness, and true happiness takes some soul-searching. You owe it to yourself and those close to you to give it all you have. Here are ten reasons why you’re not happy even if you have everything in life.

1. You Can Be Secure But Unfulfilled

Having everything isn’t necessarily fulfilling for you as a human being. You can end up spinning your wheels without much meaning in your day-to-day. That’s because success doesn’t answer the underlying question of why you’re doing anything. You may remain unhappy if you aren’t driven by purpose. Prevent that by being passionate about your life and having a vision of who you are.

· Understand Yourself

You may need to dig deep to understand your personality and what you want in life. Decide if you’re comfortable with where your career is going in the next few years. Drop hobbies that aren’t worth it while emphasizing ones that suit you. Be open about your aspirations during quality time with family and friends.

· Make Changes

It may all call for drastic lifestyle changes, but health coach Emily Laurence points out that just learning what you want is a significant advantage. Then it’s simply a matter of creating the space for you to enter into a new way of being. Don’t hesitate to act because you don’t want to lose time mired in a life you don’t like.

2. You’re Focused On Impressing People

Starting from a young age, people spend a lot of time trying to impress others. Even if you have everything, the need to impress will keep you unhappy. Just because people like your fancy clothes, car, and house, doesn’t mean they’ll stand by you in your time of need. It’s a fragile sort of happiness that makes you clingy and leaves you bitter when you aren’t getting the attention you think you deserve.

· Impressing People Isn’t Worth It

When you crave admiration, it’s hard to appreciate all the nice things you have. Maintaining other people’s interests, rather than your happiness, is stress you don’t need. It’s been shown that buying things to impress others tends to remove your satisfaction with the purchase.

· Seek A Healthier Kind Of Happiness

It would be best if you were above seeking validation from others, so take advantage of what you have. If you’re considering spending to impress people, save your money for something important. Stay positive to be satisfied with yourself and strengthen the bonds you already have to secure happiness through being loved.

3. You Have To Practice More Gratitude

It might sound harsh, but try to be grateful for everything you have. If you have everything, savor it and remind yourself how lucky you are. Some people become disillusioned with their satisfactory lives, filling the void by buying more things, not knowing what they’re doing.

· Give Back To The World

Avoid this by deciding to give back to the world from your position of power. Enthusiastically say thank you and praise people. Contribute to charitable causes. It’s also important to take some pride in yourself and remain interested in your accomplishments. If you have everything, there’s no reason not to be optimistic.

· Be Thankful Of Your Accomplishments

Set aside time every once in a while to be thankful for your decisions that garnered success. How does it all affect your view of the future? Ponder your hopes for what good can be accomplished next and engage in positive thinking about your impact on the world.

4. Learn How To Appreciate Goals And Milestones

Just because you have everything doesn’t mean you can’t work toward something. Regardless of luxury, stagnating as a person isn’t a nice feeling. So challenge yourself and get excited about trying new things.

· Set New Goals

Set goals that are fun rather than more tasks to check off. Cook food you’re not good at making, learn a new language, and cultivate yourself into the best you can be. It’s daunting, but Laurence recommends you start pursuing what’s missing from your life in small ways because baby steps are powerful.

· Create New Milestones

Your mental state is aided by looking forward to milestones too. In a life where you have everything you need, it’s good to get people together and celebrate that. Make anniversaries and birthdays about quality time rather than gifts, so you’re in an appreciative mood. Like the goals we accomplish, milestones are thresholds of growth, showing us how far we’ve come.

5. You’re Restricted By Routine

A life where you have everything is safe, meaning you can become restless and bored quickly. This is especially true if you live by a rigidly regimented routine, lacking the fun of spontaneity. It’s hard to be fulfilled by a life of prosperity when you’re on a tight schedule, always doing the same thing. As author Travis Bradberry says, some structure is necessary because the happiest people have honed habits maintaining their good mood day in and day out.

Learn to mix things up! You’ve still got to mix things up, so you don’t go stir-crazy. Now and then, tell yourself to come up with something interesting to do. Complete tasks in a different order or wake up at a different time. See how quickly you can get a particular chore done. It’s good for your brain to face varied situations, allowing you to stay sharp.

6. You Don’t Take Time To Relax

Even if you have a good life, you can’t be endlessly running from one thing to the next. Between work, household duties, and time with your kids and partner, you’ll burn yourself out. It would be best if you had time to reflect on life and indulge in what you like.

· Free Yourself And Get Some Quality “Me” Time

Without any “me time,” you can get sidetracked from who you are and what you’re all about. Let yourself eat, meditate, get fresh air, and be free. Research shows that just going for a walk is pretty beneficial. Such mental breaks are essential to fostering good concentration and stress management.

· Rest And Recalibrate

This good habit of resting and recalibrating opens you up to positive reminders, accepting your life, and recommitting hard work. Treat yourself properly, and you’ll be a well-oiled machine, able to enjoy the life you’ve made for yourself. It’s impressive how small breaks can have such a pleasing effect on the body and mind.

7. You Aren’t In Touch With Your Emotions

Emotions are our lifeblood, so try to keep them in check. A good life can be harmed by an unpleasant emotional state. Unmet basic needs won’t stop you from getting cynical. You shouldn’t live life on autopilot and become stilted, distant from what’s going on. Though your needs may be taken care of, there’s still the matter of being a welcoming person.

· Be There For Others

Being emotionally available makes you an asset to your loved ones. That’s not possible if you allow feelings of frustration, disinterest, and inefficiency to build up. Hone your empathy and have regular conversations with those close to you.

· Reciprocity

Understanding others can help you understand yourself. If something bothers you, don’t hide it. Be introspective to know why you feel the way you do. All the while, be a good listener, and you can maintain a positive atmosphere.

8. Learn To Indulge In Simple Pleasures

Lasting happiness is thought to be brought about by obvious markers like marriage or childbirth. Some people crave loud, exciting satisfaction. You can spend a lot of time chasing material wealth and not become happy. Don’t relentlessly pursue happiness like a destination. No matter how many good things you have, that can be destructive. Remember, happiness is a state of mind, not a destination.

· Slow Down And Notice The World Around You

Instead, slow down and drink in the world around you. Discover the simpler pleasures in life. Bradberry says that fascinating things happen around us every day if you know where to look. It can fill you with awe, which is humbling. There truly is so much to appreciate.

· Pamper Yourself With You Indulge In The Little Things

Have a relaxing bubble bath, stroll through morning mist and dew, follow a workout with a hot shower, explore bike trails on a summer night, bite into a juicy fruit, drink hot chocolate in front of the fireplace, dance to music, and more. Enhance these activities with positive thinking for time well spent.

9. You’re Overthinking Instead Of Living

Having everything doesn’t change the destructive nature of overthinking. You’ve got to get out of your head and live in the present. Overthinking tends to be a response to anxiety but can just as easily lead to it.

Overthinking is more dangerous than you think. Research has found that overthinking is associated with the onset of depression and has been linked with psychopathologies like binge eating, binge drinking, and self-harm. To avoid this fate, talk openly with others about what’s rattling in your head. If you begin to zone out and overthink, question what’s bothering you and how the problem arose.

10. Sources Of Negativity Bring You Down

There’s plenty of negativity in the world. Sometimes when people are feeling down, they engage in negative self-talk that leaves them depressed for days. Sometimes everything in life is going well, but sources of negativity are pronounced and ruining it all. Negativity can’t be eradicated, but it should be dealt with healthily.

· Put Your Foot Down

If you’re spending time with people who ruin your mood, you can have negative emotions stirring in your head, making it harder to sleep and concentrate. Sometimes your friends are complainers who pity themselves and put their problems in your lap instead of doing anything constructive. Put your foot down with people who stress you out, either by distancing yourself or presenting them with concrete solutions.

· The Right Mindset

Rely on positive thinking, even when you don’t believe it, to lift you. Spend time on things you like, even if you’re afraid your mood will get in the way. Your hobbies and interests can always create good memories you can recall for weeks to come and provide a cathartic sense of accomplishment.

Final Thoughts On Why You’re Not Happy Even If You Have Everything In Life

There are no catch-all solutions. Everyone is different and suffers from various combinations of factors. However, everyone has the power to fight against their unhappiness. Never take it lying down. You and your loved ones are worth it and will grow by overcoming obstacles.

15 Ways to Reverse a Boring Relationship

May 8, 2022 by Chris Butler

Do you feel stuck in a boring relationship and you need to find ways to reenergize your connection?

Don’t feel bad, as this happens to most people who have been together for any length of time. Thankfully, there are many ways that you can put the spark back in your connection, and you can have fun in the process.

Life is stressful and chaotic at times, and you tend to take things out on those closest to you. How many times have you shut yourself away in the bedroom to recharge your drained batteries? The only problem is you often shut out those who are there to help you through the bad times.

As relationships hit the five, ten, and even 20-year mark, you morph into a stage of comfort. You certainly don’t have the same push to prove yourself as you did when you fell in love. After you’ve sealed the deal, most feel they don’t need to put as much effoFrt into their connection, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Fifteen Ways to Reenergize Your Boring Relationship

If you feel you’re in a rut and want to change things, you must be proactive. You won’t get anywhere by sitting on the couch and watching TV every night till you fall to sleep, as this will only make things worse.

It will help if you put some actions behind your desire for a closer connection to get back to a place that feels right. Here are fifteen of the best ways that you can reenergize your relationship.

1. Bring Back Date Night to Break Out of a Boring Relationship

Even if you’ve been together for 25 years, you must have a date night. Taking a few hours out of your week for the one you love is not too much to ask. Put real effort into this night and plan something fun and exciting together.

2. Travel and Experience New Things

Taking weekend trips can put the excitement back into your relationship. When you’re seeing and exploring new places together, it’s easy to leave the cares of life behind. Reconnecting in new places is a great way to reenergize things, plus it just makes life better when you have something to look forward to.

3. Make Your Partner Your Priority

While you have 101 things you must do daily, your partner needs to prioritize that list. Ensure you text when you have a break, or you should call during your lunch hour. Put them high on your list, no matter how chaotic the day.

4. Take Social Media Breaks

When you’re with your special person, put down your phone. Why do so many people not interact with each other because they’re too busy on social media or checking their email and texts? Galena Rhoades is a clinical psychologist who has done studies on this matter.

Based on her studies at the University of Denver, she wrote a book entitled How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too). She found that social media is ruining couples and often causes relationship disillusions. Do you and your partner a favor, turn off the phone, and connect.

5. Make Sacrifices For One Another

Sometimes relationships take real sacrifice to make things work. While you may not like pizza for dinner, but you know it’s your partner’s favorite food, then you should give in occasionally.

You must learn the fine art of compromise if you will stay together for the long haul. Life can’t be all about what you want all the time anyway. When you commit to someone, you must learn about give and take; this equation needs to be 50/50.

6. Say “I Love You” More Often

When’s the last time you told your partner you loved them? It seems so effortless to say when you start dating, but many don’t feel the need to say it as often over time. You probably think they already know your feelings, so why must you keep telling them?

However, you must tell the person you love how you feel and do this at least once a day.

7. Spend Time Apart

As much as you love being together, spending time apart is also healthy. It’s okay to have time with your friends or family so that you have something to come home and talk to your partner about. The old saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder is undoubtedly based on truth.

8. Argue Less and Listen More

It’s common to get into a pattern of arguing and grumbling at each other, especially after you’ve had a long day. The next time you feel yourself starting to get angry, and you begin to say things out of the moment’s frustration, stop and listen more than you speak.

You will be surprised how much your relationship changes when you listen more and argue less. Plus, if you have children, you don’t want them to hear you quarrel as it makes them uncomfortable.

9. Appreciate the Little Things

Does your partner make your coffee every day before you go to work? Do they pack your lunch and tell you to have a nice day? When is the last time you told them thank you and appreciated those little gestures they don’t have to do?

Take time to do small things to show your partner how much you care, and make sure that you thank them when they do something nice for you.

10. Laugh Together (Humor Can Lighten Up a Boring Relationship)

When is the last time you had a good laugh together? Life can’t be serious all the time. You need to lighten up and find something that makes you both chuckle.

Did you know that when you have a good belly laugh, you’re releasing oxytocin? According to the National Library of Medicine, this hormone will lift your mood and make you feel better. Laughing really is good medicine for the soul.

11. Have a Meaningful Conversation

Having a good conversation is part of communication, which is one of the foundations of any relationship. Ensure you talk about more than the weather or the time the kids need to be at their game. It would help if you had a conversation that is meaningful, deep, and about your lives.

12. Remember Physical Touch

Physical touch is so important. When you hug someone, hold their hand, or put your arm around them, you tell them how much you care without opening your mouth. Plus, hugging for around 20 seconds can also get your feel-good hormones pumping, says an article in the National Library of Medicine.

13. Try A Fun Class Together

If you’re in a rut and need to reenergize, why not try something unique like a cooking class, pick up a new hobby, or even ax throwing? There are so many things out there for you to do, but many people don’t use their adventurous side to explore things.

Sure, you’re tired after a long day of work and all your responsibilities, but why not put some effort into making your relationship better by having new experiences.

14. Dream Together

Never, ever stop dreaming together. What are your goals, plans, and visions for the future? Take time to talk about all the things you want to accomplish in one year, five, ten, and twenty.

Get a pen and paper and make a bucket list of things you want to do solo in your career and together with your partner. Dreaming together is one reason you fell in love, and it can be the thing that helps you re-energize your relationship.

15. Write Love Letters

Do you still write love letters, give cards, or put sticky notes on the bathroom mirror with lovely messages? This is one of those little things you can do that has a huge impact. You’re telling this person they’re on your mind, and they’re so vital to you that you had to say it.

The key is not to overdo it as it can seem forced or not genuine, but an occasional note left on the bathroom mirror can do wonders for a boring relationship phase.

Final Thoughts on Reversing a Boring Relationship

Before you head to a counselor and try to fix what appears wrong in your relationship, you must realize that all unions go through dry spells. It’s completely normal to feel like you’re in a rut and need to reenergize things. The key is that you fix things or may be one of the many couples that don’t make it for the long haul.

Additionally, sometimes things are beyond repair, and it’s not worth putting the time or effort into fixing it. In these instances, you need to learn when it’s time to let go for the sake of your sanity.

Thankfully, most people find that dry spells are part of the ups and downs of being together. When you’re in these periods, you must tell yourself that things will get better and then take steps to make it happen.

OSU Astronomers Now Have Proof of How the Milky Way Formed

May 8, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

Recent research by OSU astronomers reveals new estimates of when the Milky Way formed. The findings also provide a cosmological timescale of when our galaxy merged with other, smaller galaxies. Using new astronomy techniques, the researchers identified the most accurate ages of nearly 100 red giant stars in the Milky Way.

This, along with other data, revealed evidence of what happened when the Milky Way merged with an orbiting satellite galaxy. The galaxy, known as Gaia-Enceladus, went through a violent merger with our galaxy about 10 billion years ago. The journal Nature Astronomy published the findings on May 17, 2021.

“Our evidence suggests that when the merger occurred, the Milky Way had already formed a large population of its own stars,” said Fiorenzo Vincenzo, co-author of the study and a fellow in The Ohio State University’s Center for Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.

Most of the stars in the Milky Way appeared in the thick disk in the middle of the galaxy. On the other hand, most stars formed in the outer halo of the Gaia-Enceladus galaxy.

Josefina Montalban, with the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Birmingham in the U.K. and the lead author of the study, says this:

“The merging event with Gaia-Enceladus is thought to be one of the most important in the Milky Way’s history, shaping how we observe it today.”

Calculating the age of the stars allowed the researchers to identify new information about both galaxies for the first time. They discovered that the stars captured from Gaia-Enceladus are very close in age to most stars born in the Milky Way.

Vincenzo says that significant changes happen anytime a violent merger occurs between two galaxies. Their data showed that when the two galaxies collided, the orbits of the already-existing stars changed, making them more chaotic.

Methods used to find out how the Milky Way formed.

Vincenzo compared the stars’ erratic movements to a dance. He said the stars from the Gaia-Enceladus galaxy move differently than those within the Milky Way. Vincenzo described other differences between the stars in each galaxy. The stars from the former galaxy had different chemical compositions than those born within the Milky Way.

For the study, the team utilized various methods and data sources within astronomy. To identify the most precise ages of the stars, they used asteroseismology – the study of stellar oscillations. According to Mathieu Vrard, a postdoctoral research associate in Ohio State’s Department of Astronomy, these sound waves ripple through stars’ internal structure.

“That allows us to get very precise ages for the stars, which are important in determining the chronology of when events happened in the early Milky Way,” Vrard said.

The study also utilized data from a spectroscopic survey called APOGEE. This reveals the chemical composition of stars, which also aids in dating the stars.

“We have shown the great potential of asteroseismology, in combination with spectroscopy, to age-date individual stars,” Montalban said.

The research team says these findings mark the first step in uncovering more information about galaxies in the future.

“We now intend to apply this approach to larger samples of stars and to include even more subtle features of the frequency spectra,” Vincenzo said.

“This will eventually lead to a much sharper view of the Milky Way’s assembly history and evolution, creating a timeline of how our galaxy developed.”

This research is part of the collaborative Asterochronometry project funded by the European Research Council.

Interesting facts about the Milky Way galaxy that we call home

It spans about 100,000 light-years across.
It’s a barred spiral galaxy, like billions of other galaxies in this universe. About two-thirds of galaxies are spiral galaxies.
The galaxy contains a bar across its center region. Hence, the name barred spiral. This central bulge is surrounded by four large spiral arms that wrap around it. The Milky Way sits on the outer edges of one arm within a disk of cosmic material, such as stars and asteroids.
The Milky Way also contains two smaller spurs. One of these is the Orion Arm, where the sun and solar system are located. The Orion Arm sits between the two major arms, Perseus and Sagittarius.
The Milky Way constantly rotates, so the sun and solar system move with it. The solar system travels at an average of 515,000 mph (828,000 km/h). This rate may sound lightning-fast, but it would still take around 250 million years for the solar system to travel around the galaxy.
Astronomers named it the Milky Way because it appears as a milky band of light in the dark sky.
Scientists estimate that our galaxy contains around 100 billion stars, though it’s difficult to know.
It’s almost as old as the universe itself. Scientists estimate that our universe is around 13.7 billion years old; the Milky Way is approximately 13.6 billion. However, the disk and bulge didn’t form until about 10-12 billion years ago.
The Milky Way comprises around 90% dark matter, which we cannot see. It’s made of 10% “luminous matter,” which we can see with the naked eye. A large amount of dark matter creates an invisible halo around the galaxy, which causes the stars to orbit much faster than if they didn’t exist.
There’s an Earth-sized planet floating aimlessly within the Milky Way!

Final thoughts about research showing proof of how the Milky Way formed

Studying outer space is endlessly fascinating, and scientists are continually uncovering more about its mysteries. Recently, a team from Ohio State University discovered estimates of when and how the Milky Way formed. They believe it merged with a galaxy called Gaia-Enceladus about 10 billion years ago.

The researchers also used new astronomy techniques to identify the ages of nearly 100 red giant stars in the Milky Way. They found that the age of these stars is similar to those born in the former galaxy. In the future, they will take samples from larger groups of stars, which will help them better understand how the universe developed.

3 Things in Life That Aren’t Worth the Effort

May 7, 2022 by Lakeisha Ethans

Have you ever expended time and effort on something that wasn’t worth it in the end? Doesn’t it suck to pour so much into something that never comes to fruition or ends up harming you?

Well, heads up! There are many kinds of things that you may be doing that are just like that. Worse yet, these scenarios impact your future and the life you have ahead of you. Here are three things in life that aren’t worth the effort. We also offer advice on how to be more efficient so you’ll have time to spend on those things that do matter.

3 Things That Aren’t Worth The Effort

Do these things sound like you?

1. Staying In Unhappy Situations

Many people stay in situations where they are unhappy or unfulfilled because they’ve already done so much to be in that situation in the first place. If you’re one of these people, you may be a victim of a mindset known as the sunk cost effect.

This effect states that you are likely to stick in negative or difficult situations when you feel you have invested a lot of time, money, or effort into it, as you hope for a positive outcome and don’t want your effort to go to waste. The whole point of the sunk cost effect is that it is a fallacy in nature. You should not feel bound to your past decisions just because of how you’ve worked on them. It would be best to use that information to learn, grow, and move on, not stay stagnant.

There is also another reason you may be staying in an unhappy situation: because you feel like you have to. It’s what is expected, or it’s the norm, so you don’t want to rock the boat. Regardless of which situation you resonate with, the bottom line is that neither of them is worth it.

Here are some examples of ways you may be staying in unhappy situations:

You may be choosing to get a college degree simply because it’s an expectation placed upon you. While education can be positive, academia isn’t for everyone, and it’s fair to find an alternative way to progress in life – or even just a different form of education.
You may stay in bad jobs for an extended period, even if you hate them because you feel like it’s the easiest option. There is no real benefit to long-term toiling like this. Even if you can’t quit right away, making plans and attending new interviews will help create long-term, sustainable ways to move forward.
You may remain in unhappy relationships because it’s convenient, you don’t want to be alone, and you’re comfortable with the routine. At the end of the day, you will regret staying in a situation like this; you can choose to work on the relationship or call it quits.

2. Mistreating Your Body For The Sake Of Enjoyment

People do all sorts of things to their bodies because they think they’re too young to deal with any problems relating to it or that it isn’t as bad as it seems. Unfortunately, it is that bad, and the effects add up over time. It’s not worth the effort or even the fun you have in the process to damage your body this way. This includes:

Eating a lot of junk food
Getting drunk all the time
Doing hard drugs
Not getting enough sleep
Avoiding medical check-ups

Do note that we’re not asking you to be a killjoy or never to have fun! The trick lies in moderation. Remember, mistreating your body isn’t worth the effort, but treating it well while making room for some fun is acceptable.

3. Holding Onto The Past

A lot of people are stuck in the past. The emotions, energies, and experiences that you have relating to the past are valid, but they’re not ones meant to be clung to. When you live in the past, you trap yourself and give up years and years of your life to focusing on things long gone. Here are some things you may be doing to live in the past:

· Fearing Change

Change is inevitable. Denying that fact is an act of clinging to the past, whether you want to believe it or not! It’s normal to be afraid of change, but that doesn’t mean you can’t confront it. Resisting change isn’t worth the effort because it’s a pointless activity that will never work. Things will change whether you want them to or not, and the best you can do for yourself is to get comfortable with that idea!

· Holding Grudges

There is no point in using your energy for resentment. If you were wronged, your anger is justified, but it’s also holding you back. Studies have found that resentment is bad for your wellbeing and positive thinking. At some point, you have to understand that finding the capacity to forgive is a much more worthwhile use of your time, and it helps you find peace, so your efforts don’t remain wasted. In some cases, you can salvage that relationship. In others, the act of letting go is exclusively for your benefit and not one you’d share with the person who hurt you.

· Trying To Get Back To An Old You

Many people who fall into slumps develop a desire to go back to an old version of themselves. If you’re one of those people who want to get back to who you once were, know that you’re wasting your effort on this endeavor. You fail to realize that the person you are now is already better than “old you.” You have more knowledge and more growth. What you should be aiming for is to become the best version of the person you are now. That’s worth the effort!

If you genuinely want to overcome your past, learn from it. Pick out the lessons and address the root causes of the difficulties you faced, then move on with your life with those lessons.

Make an Effort to Spend Time on the Things That Matter

Instead of dwelling on those negative situations, give your effort to the things that make a positive impact on your life. These tips will help you spend your time wisely.

1. Make Big, Long-Term Goals

A daily to-do list is a fair enough method to stay efficient, but that’s very short-term and not the kind of thing you need if you want to go the distance. What you need, instead, is a plan for the future. Where do you want to be a few years down the line? What is your end goal?

Efficiency can’t happen if you don’t know what you’re striving towards. You should be taking daily steps to get closer and closer to your goals if you want to be efficient truly, and you can’t do that without a good plan.

People often estimate how powerful goal-setting can be. Studies have long shown the positive effects of reasonable goals. Remember to make your goals wisely! They should be:

· Easy To Measure

How will you keep track of your progress? How can you ensure that you’re making the proper steps and getting to the right places?

· Timed

Set time limits for your goals and break them down further. To achieve your big long-term goal, you should accomplish a certain step in a month, another in six months, another in a year, and so on.

· Clear and Well-Defined

Your goals should have self-evident, specific definitions that allow you to gain clear motivation and direction from them. Vague goals will only leave you confused and give you room for slacking off.

· Reasonable

Set challenging goals, not impossible ones. Too easy, and you’ll lose interest. Too hard, and you’ll feel discouraged.

· True To Your Desires

Are your goals serving your long-term purpose? Is this what you truly want? Is it relevant to your life and self?1

2. Make an Effort to Give Yourself Some Good “Me-Time.”

Me-time is good for you for several reasons, all of which help your efficiency levels. First off, it gives you time to get in touch with yourself. When you know yourself better, you’ll make wiser decisions for your betterment and have an improved idea of carrying out your everyday life best.

Secondly, me-time lets you recharge your energy. It ensures sufficient recuperation, so you’ll be energized when you get back to your usual daily hustle and grind. If you’re not well-rested, you won’t be able to do all the things you want to do or make progress in many areas of your life. Here are some additional things to keep in mind for getting good me-time:

· Say No

Saying no to others can be difficult, but you don’t want to stretch yourself too thin. It would be best if you learned to put up boundaries and turn people down, even when it’s difficult. Choose how you spend your time and what commitments you make wisely. Don’t freely donate your time to anyone and everyone!

· Rest Often

There’s an incorrect belief out there that rest equals a lack of productivity. Reality is actually to the contrary. Working a lot with insufficient rest will burn you out, leading to decreased quality, worsened performance, and a significant lack of efficiency. On the other hand, committing to rests and downtime has an overwhelmingly positive effect on efficiency and productivity, often to surprising amounts! So let yourself rest and give yourself a break.

· Don’t Compromise On Set Me-Time

There should be a minimum amount of time that you must have to yourself, no matter what. It’s a boundary both for others and for yourself. You must get a specific amount of rest like this per week, and don’t compromise on that. Nothing, barring truly extenuating circumstances, should encroach on that.

3. Don’t Stop Learning

Learning doesn’t stop just because you’re older and out of school. There are always new things to discover, and there is always other knowledge to collect. Repeatedly broadening your horizons isn’t just incredibly worth the effort. Still, it also helps you focus your energy on productivity instead of things that aren’t good for your time or effort.

It’s important to continue finding new areas of knowledge to expand your mind into. This way, your free time is used efficiently, and you continue to build lifelong, useful skills. Here are some ideas for ways to keep learning:

Take a class for a new skill.
Find a mentor for a current skill.
Read, whether non-fiction or fiction.
Travel and immerse yourself in other cultures
Try a new hobby
Learn a language
Learn to play a musical instrument
Teach yourself something crafty
Do puzzles and games.
Surround yourself with intelligent people

Final Thoughts on Some Things in Life That Aren’t Worth the Effort

No one wants to waste their effort on things that aren’t worth it, so take heed! Avoid doing things that only take up your energy and focus on becoming more efficient, productive, and grounded with positive thinking.

9 Habits to Help Embrace a Success Mindset for Life

May 7, 2022 by Kristen Butler

Having a “success mindset” sets you up to achieve all your dreams.

Do you want to take charge of your destiny? Being successful requires patience, being a good learner, and hard work. The key to any significant changes you want to make in your life is changing your mindset.

Whether you want to lose weight or become a more positive person, it starts in the brain. When you change your mindset, you can accomplish anything you desire. However, if you don’t believe that you can make these changes, you won’t do it.

Nine Ways to Embrace A Success Mindset

Are you ready to make some changes so that you’re more optimistic than pessimistic? Here are nine habits to help embrace a successful mindset for life.

1. Learn to be Positive

To create a successful mindset, you must think positively. Of course, that doesn’t mean you’re going through life wearing rose-colored glasses. Negativity is the enemy of success and well-being. According to an article published by the Association for Talent Development, positive people usually perform better and are more successful.

Even when you’re optimistic, you’ll still encounter problems and setbacks. These are inevitable in everyone’s lives. You can’t always change a problematic situation. However, you can change your attitudes and work your way through them.

2. Create Clear Goals

Success has often been compared to a journey. If you don’t know your destination, how will you see it when you get there? You can spend months and years just going in circles.

When you cultivate a successful mindset, you learn how to define your goals. Where do you want to be in five years or ten years from now? What steps do you need to take to achieve it?

Many people make the common mistake of being too general with their goal setting. For example, writing “I want to be my boss” is a good start, but where do you go from there? If you want to own a successful business, what type do you want?

Taking inventory of your likes, dislikes, skills, and knowledge will help you narrow your goals. Break them into doable increments to celebrate your success with each step. Then, it would help if you had a way to keep your goals in mind every day.

3. How to Visualize Your Success

Try using a dream board as a visual aid to keep you on track. It can be as elaborate or simple as you like. It becomes your touchstone for visualization and using the law of attraction to move in the right direction.

Like a corkboard, dry erase, or even a chalkboard, any board will do. The first thing you want to do is make a definitive list of your goals. Start with your smaller goals and work your way up to the larger ones.

Feel free to add anything that catches your attention, like inspirational sayings or pictures. Use brightly colored markers and post anything that reminds you of where you’re going. Post your dream board in a place where you can see it every day and draw inspiration.

4. Understand the Law of Attraction

Many people attribute their success mindset to the law of attraction. Over the past few years, it’s been a buzzword that produced a best-selling book and a movie. Countless articles and online blogs discuss the power behind attracting happiness and success by creating it in your mind.

Forget the image of an imposing genie billowing out of a golden lamp to grant you wishes. There’s no “magic” involved in the law of attraction. The basic principle is to align your mind with the Universe to receive the things you want most.

As you create a success mindset, the Universe is working in your favor. When you are filled with positive energy, you attract other positive things from the Universe. On the other hand, releasing negative thoughts into the Universe will only bring negativity.

Words have unlimited power, so be careful what you say. Do you ever catch yourself saying pessimistic things like, “I’ll never be successful,” or “Nothing ever works out for me?” Your negative affirmations reach the Universe, and that’s precisely what you’ll get. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Set yourself up to be a winner and speak life and abundance. Let these positive affirmations become part of you as a direct link to the Universe. The law of attraction works positively or negatively.

5. Be Mindful and Present

Do you go throughout your day in a blind haze and work on autopilot? In this case, you are just existing and not living. It’s easy for people to feel overwhelmed with stress and fret about the future. Many others are trapped in the past and can’t see beyond their mistakes.

If you want to improve your success mindset, you must learn to live in the present. Try to be mindful in everything you do, from the most significant projects to the most menial tasks. The road to success is paved one brick at a time, making it a point to enjoy the journey.

Being mindful has many benefits, says an article published by News in Health. The report also states that mindful living may help you manage stress better, improve your relationships, and get more satisfaction from life.

From the moment you awaken until you go to bed at night, be aware of your surroundings and what you’re doing. Think of every task as something that is compounding your success. When you live in the present and do everything with purpose, you won’t miss out on the little joys that life brings to you.

6. Use Failure as a Learning Tool

There’s still a prevailing myth that you’ll never be a success if you have a failure. Nothing could be farther from the truth. History is overflowing with iconic achievers who failed many times before getting it right.

If these great men and women could overcome failed attempts, you can do the same thing. Instead of seeing failure as a dead end, try to view it as a slight detour on your journey. We are all fallible humans, and you will inevitably make mistakes every day.

However, people with a success mindset will learn from their mistakes and discover better ways of doing things. Embracing your failures is often a bitter pill to swallow. Use it as a tool for learning, and it turns into something positive. The only shame in falling is not standing up again to work toward your goals.

7. Keep an Open Mind

Only the trees that survive in severe weather are those that have learned to bend. Part of having a success mindset is to be flexible. While change can be stressful, it’s the only way you will survive and grow.

Where would the world be without change and innovation? Not only are needs and resources perpetually evolving, but so are you. If you aren’t part of the change, you may not reach the success you want.

Keep an open mind to newer concepts and more efficient ways of doing things. Listen to your mentors and peers and consider their perspectives. They may have ideas and changes that would be to your advantage.

Be willing to rethink your approach to daily tasks and other responsibilities. What worked for you for years may not be the answer today. You can also boost your success by furthering your education and learning new skills.

8. Surround Yourself with Other Successful People

The law of attraction also works with the company you keep. Remember the saying that like calls to like? When you spend time with positive and successful people, you will learn how to attract the same. They also make ideal mentors for sharing valuable knowledge and skills honed with years of experience.

Have you ever been to a social gathering with a negative person? These people often charge the atmosphere with their gloomy attitude, putting a damper on your good mood. If you have a toxic mentor whispering negativity and failure in your ear, it will pull you into a downward spiral.

Stay in a positive frame of mind and surround yourself with like-minded people. Even when you have a bad day, an optimistic attitude can lighten your mood. It’s also more conducive to creative thinking and success.

9. Don’t Procrastinate Away Your Chance to Succeed

Unfortunately, some people never reach their full potential because they don’t believe in themselves. It’s not narcissistic to feel that you are worthy and deserving. Healthy self-esteem allows you to view yourself not above or beneath but just as good as anyone else.

Avoid getting into the habit of believing you will be happy and prosperous only when something specific happens. For example, “I’ll be successful when I make this amount of money,” or “My happiness will be complete when I have or achieve this.” Success is all about celebrating every step of the way.

Maybe you aren’t making your desired salary or living in your dream home yet. Until you do, find the joy in what you already have. Be proud and grateful for your achievements, and watch yourself grow and grow closer to your goals.

Final Thoughts on Creating a Success Mindset

The first step of your success mindset begins by changing your outlook. When you have a winner’s attitude, you’ll do what it takes to achieve your goal. Be patient, diligent, and positive, and your life can have endless possibilities.

New Research Explains How to Stimulate Immune Cells to Fight Cancer

May 7, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

Engineers and medical researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have found a new way to fight cancer. A groundbreaking study reveals how revolutionary cancer therapies using engineered immune cells boost a patient’s immune system. In turn, this gives the patient a better chance to fight cancer.

This research could lead to improved cancer therapies for millions of people. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications on May 14, 2021.

The new method of stimulating immune cells to fight cancer will make immunotherapy even more effective. Instead of using harmful chemicals or radiation, immunotherapy harnesses the patient’s immune system to prevent or eliminate cancer. The cancer treatment involves using T cells, a white blood cell playing a crucial role in immune responses to cancer. Scientists compare Cytotoxic T cells to soldiers because they seek out and destroy targeted cancer cells.

Many clinics use immunotherapy to treat various forms of cancer in the blood or blood-producing organs. It’s been widely successful, but T cells have a more challenging time destroying cancer cells in solid tumors.

Paolo Provenzano, the senior author of the study and a biomedical engineering associate professor at the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering, says the following:

“The tumor is sort of like an obstacle course, and the T cell has to run the gauntlet to reach the cancer cells. These T cells get into tumors, but they just can’t move around well, and they can’t go where they need to go before they run out of gas and are exhausted.”

In this groundbreaking study, the researchers have worked on engineering the T cells to fight cancer more effectively. They’ve developed engineering design criteria that mechanically improve the cells to make them more capable of overcoming physical barriers. By enhancing the immune cells’ ability to recognize and find cancer cells, they have a higher probability of destroying the tumor.

The study that engineers immune cells to fight cancer

Within fibrous masses of tumors, immune cells immediately slow down about two-fold due to the stiff nature of tumors. However, this new form of immunotherapy could help T cells maintain speed even in solid tumors.

“This study is our first publication where we have identified some structural and signaling elements where we can tune these T cells to make them more effective cancer fighters,” said Provenzano.

“Every ‘obstacle course’ within a tumor is slightly different, but there are some similarities. After engineering these immune cells, we found that they moved through the tumor almost twice as fast no matter what obstacles were in their way.”

To stimulate the cytotoxic T cells, authors utilized advanced gene-editing technologies, or genome editing, to alter DNA in the T cells. This way, the cells have a better chance of overcoming physical barriers within the tumor. Of course, immunotherapy aims to slow down or prevent the growth of cancer cells while speeding up immune cells.

The researchers have been working on engineering cells that can overcome various physical barriers. By combining these cells, the researchers hope the groups of immune cells can effectively overcome 100% of the obstacles to fight cancer cells.

Provenzano said they would keep analyzing the mechanical properties of the cells to gain more insight into how the immune cells and cancer cells interact. Currently, the team is studying engineered immune cells in rodents and will perform clinical trials in humans in the future. They’ve focused much of their initial research on pancreatic cancer. However, Provenzano said the methods could treat other cancers as well.

Engineering T cells to fight cancer is relatively new, but it has a bright future.

“Using a cell engineering approach to fight cancer is a relatively new field,” Provenzano said. “It allows for a very personalized approach with applications for a wide array of cancers. We feel we are expanding a new line of research to look at how our bodies can fight cancer. This could have a big impact in the future.”

The treatment utilizes the body’s T cells by either isolating the cells that already target tumors or genetically modifying the cells. Scientists then take these receptors (either natural T-cell receptors (TCRs) or synthetic receptors known as chimeric antigen receptors (CARs)), expand them, and reinfuse them into the patient.

The T cells that perform the best have been engineered to express CARs that target CD19. This pan-B-cell marker exists on most cancerous B cells. Thus far, many clinical trials found that 90% of advanced B-cell leukemia patients treated with CD19 CAR-T cells achieved total remission. This shows promise for the future of engineering immune cells to fight cancer.

In recent years, scientists made considerable breakthroughs in this exciting new way to treat cancer. In July 2017, the FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee approved the first product to treat B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The first CD19 CAR-T cell product, CTL019 (tisagenlecleucel) from Novartis, can treat cancer in pediatric and young adult patients.

Several other companies have been working to develop products that involve engineering T cells to fight cancer. Commercializing T-cell therapy will allow engineers to use their knowledge to expand the market for cellular products.

In the future, perhaps cancer won’t be as prevalent due to these groundbreaking forms of cancer therapy.

Final thoughts on research showing how to stimulate immune cells to fight cancer

A new study by researchers at the University of Minnesota reveals a revolutionary method of engineering immune cells to fight cancer. The team discovered that our bodies’ cells could destroy cancer, especially if they’ve been engineered to do so. There are still many unknowns regarding this form of therapy, but it shows promise. In fact, the FDA already approved one product that treats a type of leukemia using chimeric antigen receptors.

The latest research by the team from Minnesota could lead to even more treatments to fight cancer in the future.

Coffee Pulp Aids Reforestation Efforts, According to Science

May 7, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

A recent study found that coffee pulp, a waste product of coffee production, can promote reforestation efforts on post-agricultural land.

The British Ecological Society journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence published these findings.

Researchers from ETH-Zurich and the University of Hawai`i took part in the study. First, they spread 30 dump truck loads of coffee pulp on a 35 × 40m area of barren land in Costa Rica. This equated to about 20 inches of coffee pulp. For a control, they marked a similar-sized area of land that didn’t contain coffee pulp.

Coffee Pulp Promotes Reforestation Efforts, According to Science

“The results were dramatic,” lead study author Rebecca Cole, an environmental scientist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said in a news release.”The area treated with a thick layer of coffee pulp turned into a small forest in only two years while the control plot remained dominated by non-native pasture grasses.”

After two years, the land treated with coffee pulp had 80% canopy cover compared to 20% on the control site. Also, the canopy in the coffee pulp section grew four times taller than that in the control area.

Adding the 20 inches of coffee pulp helped eradicate invasive pasture grasses which had taken over the land. These grasses often inhibit tree species from thriving. Once the grasses had been removed, the native tree species (from seeds that arrived through wind and animal dispersal) began repopulating.

The coffee pulp also helped revive the soil in the treated area. After two years, researchers measured significantly elevated carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus levels in the ground compared to the control. However, potassium, a nutrient essential for growth, measured lower in the coffee-treated area than in the control plot.

The findings showed promise since the soil on tropical agricultural land becomes highly degraded over time. Poor soil quality can delay reforestation for decades.

The coffee pulp may help save tropical forests around the globe

Instead of throwing out coffee byproducts such as pulp, agricultural companies can use them to repopulate forests. Since it’s widely available and high in nutrients, coffee pulp serves as an affordable way to reforest the land.

Dr. Cole said: “This case study suggests that agricultural by-products can be used to speed up forest recovery on degraded tropical lands. When processing these by-products incurs a cost to agricultural industries, using them for restoration to meet global reforestation objectives can represent a ‘win-win’ scenario.”

To achieve the climate objectives of the 2015 Paris Accords, we must make reforestation a priority. Planting more trees means having less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere since trees absorb it at 48 pounds per year. The coffee pulp may go a long way in helping to reach those goals.

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The study on how coffee pulp can help revitalize forests

Researchers conducted the survey in Coto Brus county in southern Costa Rica. It took place on a former coffee farm that’s now being reforested for conservation. In the 1950s, developers converted the land to coffee agriculture and pasture. As a result of the rapid deforestation, forest cover fell to 25% by 2014.

For the study in 2018, researchers measured out two areas of roughly 35 x 40m. They spread about twenty inches of coffee pulp on one site and left the other as a control.

Next, the team analyzed soil samples for nutrients right before applying the coffee pulp and two years later. Additionally, they recorded the species on the land, the thickness of tree stems, and the percentage of forest ground cover. They utilized drones to observe canopy cover.

The coffee-composted plot contained five different tree species, while the control area had only one.

Scientists need to study these findings further.

While the team recorded valuable information, Dr. Cole says more research is necessary to confirm the findings.

“This study was done at only one large site, so more testing is needed to see if this strategy works across a broader range of conditions. The measurements we share are only from the first two years,” she said. “Longer-term monitoring would show how the coffee pulp affected soil and vegetation. Additional testing can also assess whether there are any undesirable effects from the coffee pulp application.”

One caveat to using coffee pulp or other agricultural waste products is that they only work in certain situations. Companies and growers can only use them in relatively flat, easily accessible areas that delivery trucks can get to. Also, nutrient runoff into nearby watersheds can be better managed in these areas. So, researchers would have to develop another solution for hillier lands used for agriculture.

Dr. Cole said about future research on using coffee pulp for reforestation efforts: “We would like to scale up the study by testing this method across various degraded sites in the landscape. Also, they might try the concept with other types of agricultural non-market products like orange husks.

“We hope our study is a jumping-off point for other researchers and industries to look at how they might make their production more efficient by creating links to the global restoration movement.”

Final thoughts on how coffee pulp helps repopulate forests

The new study by researchers from ETH-Zurich and the University of Hawai`i shows how coffee pulp can revitalize forests around the globe. After just two years, the team found that 80% of a forest in Costa Rica treated with coffee pulp had regrown. The canopy in this area also grew four times taller than that in the control plot. However, the research team found that the coffee pulp would only work in flat, easily accessible agricultural areas.

In the future, they hope to study other products such as orange husks to see their effect on reforestation. This study proves that the planet will keep providing for us if we reuse and recycle more often. As this research shows it’s important to give back what we take to maintain equilibrium with nature. So, you can feel good about your coffee addiction because it might save the planet.

20 Ways to Respond to Negative Criticism

May 7, 2022 by Chris Butler

Nothing hurts worse than when you receive negative criticism from someone you love.

Negative criticism in the developmental years can be psychologically damaging, according to Childhood Trauma Recovery. Verbal abuse is sometimes more challenging to overcome than physical abuse, as wounds heal, but words cut deep.

Whether an adult or a child, handling such negativity can be a challenge, you want people to like you, think you’re doing great in life, and be in the cheerleading section. When they say things that are criticized, it hurts badly.

Twenty Responses to Negative Criticism From Your Loved Ones

When someone you love says something that hurts you, you don’t have to take it sitting down. Depending on the personality or situation, you can use several tactics to counteract this verbally rude individual. Here are the twenty best responses to someone who negatively criticizes you.

1. Walk Away From the Negative Criticism

Sometimes, the situation isn’t even worth your time or effort. Don’t waste your precious time arguing with them if someone vents their emotions at your expense. Like the famous country music artists wrote, “You say it best when you say nothing at all.”

2. Tell Them How You Expect to Be Treated

If this person commonly criticizes you for many things, you have a right to stand up to them. Tell them how you expect to be treated if they are around you and your family. You don’t have to put up with their disrespect, and you have a right to set boundaries with them.

3. Evaluate the Remark

There may be some truth in what they’re saying, even if the delivery was wrong. Evaluate the statement they made, and you must take a long, hard look at yourself. Were they trying to help you, but it came across negatively?

4. Stop the Negative Criticism Tirade

When someone is rude enough to criticize you, you can be harsh enough to cut them off. Stop them in mid-sentence if they start running their mouth about things that are none of their business. You don’t have to listen to this garbage, as it will do nothing but hinder your self-esteem.

5. Have A Good Come Back

Remember that when you’re pointing at someone, you’re also pointing back at yourself. So, if this person is throwing stones, perhaps you should throw some back at their glasshouse. They can’t be perfect, so giving them a taste of their own medicine can be an excellent way to combat their verbal abuse.

6. Thank Them

One way to combat negativity is to use positivity. If you’re constantly trying to overcome this person’s toxic comments, then hit them with optimism if they tell you that you’re not a good parent and should be doing more for your kids.

You can say something like, “You know, you’re right. I am trying every day to be a better parent. Thank you for pointing this issue out to me.” You can almost guarantee they will have nothing further to say. They wanted to get a rise out of you, and you didn’t play into their hand.

7. Tell Them to Change Their Tone

The message this negative person is giving you might be the truth, but the delivery was wrong. Tell them you don’t mind discussing issues in the future, but you expect them to change their tune and have an open dialog rather than criticism.

8. Find Common Ground

While you may not agree with everything, this person said, maybe you can find common ground. While you may not be the best spouse or parent, you can decide to disagree on some things. Acknowledging there is an issue will defuse them a bit.

9. Ask For Patience and Understanding

No one is perfect, not even the person providing the negative criticism. Ask them to be patient with you and understand as you deal with the matter. It’s a rule of thumb never to tell someone something they already know.

Take, for instance, a person who walks up to you at a family reunion and tells you that you’ve put on weight. You already know that you’ve gained a few pounds, and them bringing attention to something you already feel self-conscious about isn’t going to help anything. It could make matters worse.

10. Tell Them They Have A Good Eye for Detail

If you can think of nothing else to say, you should commend them on having an excellent eye for detail. It’s evident this person is super observant and has the sense of a superhero. Commend them for noticing something that you try to hide about yourself and go about your day.

Here are the negative impacts of toxic positivity on your life.

11. Offer Them A Debate

If someone tends to be negatively critical of you on many occasions, why not offer them a friendly debate. Ask them to have a sit-down conversation regarding the matter. They may find they have less to say about it when you want to challenge them to a battle of words.

12. Don’t Take It Personally

It’s difficult not to take everything a person says to you personally, especially if you love them. If this person tends to be free with their comments, you must realize that you’re not the only one on the firing line. Realize they like to grumble, and they don’t mean anything by it.

13. Address Your Discomfort With the Negative Criticism

The only way these negative comments can hurt you is if they’ve struck a chord with an inner belief. So, it would help if you addressed why you feel so upset by their comment, and you should work on methods to try and fix it. The key is to get to the root cause and get busy with the issue.

14. Disengage from the Negative Criticism

If you want to end the conversation without being rude, politely disengage from the topic. This person probably wants a debate about something to get you going. When you give a sigh or make a slight noise like “huh,” then you’ve acknowledged their comment, but you don’t care to respond.

15. Show Them Kindness

No matter how unkind the statement is or how much you want to fly off the handle, smile and compliment them. For example, if a person says that the shirt you have on is unflattering to your figure, you should hit them back with a kind statement.

You can say something like, “Wow, I was just thinking about how much I liked your outfit.” People that hold you to a higher standard than most probably also hold themselves to an exceedingly high level. Overly critical people usually have esteem problems they are trying to combat, so they lash out at others to take the attention from themselves.

16. Avoid People Who Love to Engage in Negative Criticism

When things escalate to the point where you don’t even feel comfortable in their presence, then make sure to avoid them. If someone is judging your parenting, looks, or things that are none of their business, then you have a right to say who you will and won’t entertain.

17. Consider the Source

You will often receive wisdom from elders who know what they’re talking about, but some people don’t know anything. Before you get all worked up, you should consider the source.

18. Tell Them You Welcome Constructive Criticism

It’s okay for someone to offer you constructive opinions, but negative criticism is uncalled for in life. Tell them that they need to change their approach if they want to help you be a better person.

19. Ask If They’re Offering to Help

If this person is so bold as to criticize you, then maybe they’re willing to help. If they tell you that you need to dress better, ask them for a few tips and pointers. Perhaps they want to go shopping with you and pick out some new clothes.

20. Not Now

There is a time and place for everything. If someone has some critique for you, you have the right to tell them it’s not a good time.

Maybe you’ve already had a bad day, and you can’t bear any more drama. Telling them not now is a polite way of saying you don’t have time for their negative criticism.

Final Thoughts on Responding To Negative Criticism

You learn from family members who’ve been through many experiences in their life. However, having lived through some troubles doesn’t ever give you the right to be rude to someone else. Negative criticism will only drive a wedge between you and the person you love, especially when they love to pick out your faults.

The best way to combat this type of person is to consider the source. Does this individual tend to be a bit nosey and talk down to everyone? If so, you need to learn to let it roll off your back. If their comments bother you too much, it’s best to avoid them.

However, there could be some truths hidden behind all that negativity, and you need to find out what they’re trying to say and apply it to your life. If they tell you that you need to improve your cooking as the potatoes you made are awful, you may need a cooking class.

The key is not to let constructive criticism be misconstrued because you wear your emotions on your sleeve. You can learn and grow with the help of those around you, and you can also put naysayers in their place.

Weekly tips, affirmations, and small actions to feel your best.

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!