Can taking Tylenol take some joy out of your life?  Apparently it can, by 20%, according to this small study.  The reason I'm posting this is to make you aware that things we ingest can influence our emotions and our brains.

Here is an over the counter "safe" drug that could reduce your sense of joy. 

http://psychcentral.com/news/2015/04/14/acetaminophen-blocks-emotions/83491.html

Dogs who trained a long gaze on their owners had elevated levels of oxytocin, a hormone produced in the brain that is associated with nurturing and attachment. After receiving those long gazes, the owners’ levels of oxytocin increased, too.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/the-look-of-love-is-in-the-dogs-eyes/?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

How do you deal with a setback, an injury or an illness? We all create narratives to process information and make sense of events, whether explicitly or in subtler ways. The way we construct these stories has a large impact on our mental health, new research shows.

One key take away is the people who frame events in their lives—even negative ones—in positive ways have better mental health, and those who frame events in negative ways have poorer mental well-being.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/its-healthy-to-put-a-good-spin-on-your-life-1428338415

I know many FitCampNYC members enjoy hummus so please take note. A recall has been issued, click here for the details.

Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts > Sabra Dipping Company Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Select SKUs of Its Classic Hummus 

What foods can help your eyesight young?

(It's not carrots)

An eye-opening study shows that a few key nutrients can make a significant difference in the health of your eyes and can prolong good vision.

And it also shows that you can overcome bad eye genes with certain foods.

The recent studies reexamine findings made in 2001 that showed that vitamins C, E along with zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin actually reduced the risk of age related macular degeneration, known as AMD.

Another finding was that a diet rich in Omega-3 laden fish like salmon helped people with eyes that suffer from poor genetics. 

And everyone can benefit from a diet rich in leafy greens like spinach, collard greens and kale. When one group consumed the aforementioned they saw a significant 40% drop in the chances of having AMD vs. a group who did not consume a diet rich in fish and green vegetables.

Today's take away... Modify your diet so you have leafy greens almost daily along with fish twice a week.  Your eyes and vision will thank you for it.

Can Certain Foods Improve Eyesight? http://www.wsj.com/articles/can-certain-foods-improve-eyesight-1428358373

Chocolate could also cause kidney failure if consumed in excessive amounts.

A lesson in moderation.  Arkansas doctors report that a man went into kidney failure because he was consuming copious quantity of iced tea, a gallon a day!

The main culprit is the chemical oxalate, found in foods like wheat bran and chocolate, which can result in painful kidney stones. 

http://time.com/3768205/iced-tea-habit-kidney-failure/