There are many things that are fascinating in this world. Humans, especially, seem to be one of the more curious of species, in terms of how we live our lives and the choices that we make to further our race. In this article, we’ve collated five of the most bizarre lifestyle facts which may sound wild, but are scientifically true or have happened.
Colored toilet papers were a fad
While toilet papers were invented a long, long time ago – the first account of use was 6th century China – it was only in the 1890s when toilet paper rolls were introduced. They became an instant hit for households worldwide, especially in the Western Hemisphere. The attitude for toilet paper rolls was not favorable then, but that seemed to change when marketing experts at the time targeted it to people as a hygiene must-have.
Today, it’s a staple in any grocery list. One of the more interesting toilet paper facts is that at its peak of use in the 1950s, leading manufacturers came out with just every color of tissue paper there is. In fact, some toilet paper rolls today still have prints on them. It was only in 2004 that Scott’s stopped the production of its colored toilet paper.
Breakfast is not the most important meal
Contrary to popular belief, breakfast isn’t the most important meal of the day. There is actually not enough science to back it up. The campaign to make breakfast a staple in most households was originally a big marketing plan for cereals. A new study shows that there is no evidence linking having breakfast to losing weight or that when you skip breakfast, you have greater chances of gaining extra pounds.
In fact, proponents of the widely popular intermittent fasting lifestyle believe that skipping breakfast actually helps the body to process previous meals better, strengthens the immune system, and keeps the body’s autophagy active. So don’t worry if you skipped breakfast, chances are – it won’t affect your body’s natural digestive rhythm. It would even improve it!
Death by overwork is a thing all over the world, especially in Japan
Every year, we hear or read about it in the news, or in magazines, even on the Internet – employees die because of overwork and exhaustion. It’s happening all over the world, but in Japan, which has the culture for it, more and more people, especially young adults to people in their 40’s, are exposed to overworking.
There is a Japanese word that encapsulates death by exhaustion – karoshi. When translated, it literally means “overwork death” or “worked to death.” The first case of karoshi in Japan was a 29-year old male worker for a shipping company. Most karoshi -related deaths involve strokes and heart attacks. Karoshi is usually attributed to lack of sleep, which scientifically, has been proven to increase heart problems.
Too much stress can cause auto-immune diseases
When someone is under a lot of stress, whether emotional, physical, work-related, etc., the body reacts in a way where cortisol is produced. A new study has shown that there is a direct link between auto-immune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis to the excessive stress that the body experiences. Eczema, for example, can be triggered by stress and anxiety, and scientists are still researching the connection between it.
Takeaway
As the old adage says, “balance is everything”. While these facts presented above may seem too specific for you, you can still heed the advice laden on the text. Too much of a good thing can still be dangerous, as well as too little of it. In life, we all need to find a key balance that will be the core of how we live our lives, in order to thrive and not just survive.
