We’ve already talked about greenwashing, pinkwashing and sportswashing in past episodes. Well even the world of health doesn’t escape from cynical marketing practices. Let’s talk about healthwashing. The term covers a pretty wide range of practices, but it’s most commonly associated with the food industry. Manufacturers often overplay the addition of certain nutritious items in their products, implying that there are real health benefits to be gained. You might see labels using buzzwords such...

Right from primary school age, we tell children that if another boy or girl has teased them, it’s “because they like them”. And playful teasing happens a lot in dating well into adulthood. If it’s ever happened to you, you might have laughed along out of fear of appearing oversensitive. But really it’s a form of verbal abuse, which is often used intentionally to manipulate another person’s emotions, undermining their self-esteem. Where does the name come from? What kind of things do neggers...

Do You Really Know talks about love for Valentine's Day on February 14th! To understand everything about love relationships and current dating methods, we decipher together the new concepts that make love today. You’ve no doubt heard that certain foods can increase desire, or even improve sexual performance. Oysters, ginger, chocolate and strawberries are just a few examples of foods that supposedly have that magical effect. They’re labelled aphrodisiacs, a word which comes from the name of...

Vegetarians and vegans, do you ever find it difficult to keep your diet balanced? Meat-eaters, if you’ve ever considered going veggie, was that something that dissuaded you? It’s certainly fair to say that simply loading up on fruit and veg isn’t enough to stick to a balanced meat-free diet. You really need to be including grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, perhaps not on a daily basis, but as a regular source of protein. Where exactly are the best sources? Is there real risk of a protein...

The UK’s Online Safety Bill has been in the pipeline for a number of years now, and is currently being considered by the House of Lords. The proposed bill has caused a lot of controversy due to its broad ambitions and a perceived threat to people’s privacy. But it’s been welcomed in some quarters, and in particular by children’s charities like the NSPCC, who say that it’s needed to tackle grooming and child sexual abuse online. Indeed, the NSPCC says such measures are long overdue and that...

Masturbation tends to be somewhat of a taboo topic in society, often down to religious or spiritual beliefs.  You’ve probably also heard some of the common myths about it leading to blindness, erectile dysfunction or infertility. Needless to say, these are false. And the air of shame around masturbation need not be there, as it’s perfectly natural and in fact there are several health benefits.  What are some of these benefits then? Does masturbating affect men and women differently? Is...

You may well be aware of Movember, the month-long focus on men’s health that began in Australia in 2003 and takes place in November each year. But it’s actually not the only male-related November trend that’s grown in prominence in recent years. The idea of the somewhat less serious No Nut November challenge came about in 2011, when a user posted about it on Urban Dictionary. But it wasn’t until the late 2010s that it really gained traction online. How does the challenge work then? Does...

Getting restorative sleep and putting an end to back pain are both good reasons to opt for quality bedding. And if another reason was needed: on average, we spend 7-9 hours in bed every night and around a third of our lives sleeping in total. The problem is it can sometimes be like diving into a sea of options when it comes to mattresses. The most common type is the foam mattress, which adapts to all body shapes. What are the other types of mattresses? Should I go for soft or firm? What if...

There are an increasing number of trends and products out there to rid your body of toxins, such as infrared saunas, liver-purifying supplements and detox diets. But what exactly are toxins? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a toxin is “a poisonous substance, especially one produced by bacteria, that causes disease.” However, today we tend to use the word toxin to refer to all the harmful substances present in the body such as food additives, pesticides, alcohol, gluten or pollutants....

Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, in his work The Joyful Wisdom, explored this through a thought experiment he called the "eternal return." He asked us to imagine: What if you had to live this very life, exactly as it is—every joy, every sorrow, every thought—over and over, for eternity? How would you feel? Would you embrace it? Or, as Nietzsche suspected, would you recoil in horror? Nietzsche believed this reaction reveals a deep-seated struggle many have with regrets and missed...

As date night options go, the cinema is a timeless classic which can be both fun and romantic. Even in the age of “Netflix and chill”, there’s an appeal to the immersive experience you can only get watching a film on the big screen. So if you’re wondering what to do this Valentine’s Day, why not book a cinema visit? You may not be having a conversation, but you can interpret body language. If it’s a first date, and they’re on their phone all the time, that might be off putting. If your date...

No doubt at some point in your life you’ve skipped a meal, whether it was to save money, lose weight or just because you were too damn busy with work. Maybe you even do it on a regular basis, without really knowing whether it’s good or bad for you. Skipping meals makes us more likely to snack afterwards, eating food items which are often high in fat and sugar. Another risk is that you compensate by overeating at your next mealtime. By taking on more calories than you need, you’ll accentuate...

Imagine a virtual country where women come together to push back against misogyny and celebrate female empowerment. Born on French TikTok, Tanaland has captured the imagination of over 18 million women who envision a world free from patriarchy and judgment.  Tanaland is a fictional, women-centered country that has emerged as a satirical safe haven, inspired partly by the 2023 Barbie film starring Margot Robbie, which promoted themes of gender equality and female empowerment. Where did the...

If you believe the marketing slogans printed on their packaging, light or reduced-calorie food products offer you the same enjoyment but with fewer calories. It seems like a no-brainer, right?! In order for a product to be labelled as “light” (with either “-ght” or “-te” at the end), current rules in the UK state that it must be “at least 30% lower in one typical value (calories or fat) than that manufacturer’s standard version of the product in the same range”. Is the taste really as similar...

In July 2023, the White House recognised that the United States was facing a “grave threat” in the form of a highly addictive drug called xylazine, introducing a six-point plan in response.  Dealers mix xylazine into supplies of fentanyl, itself a dangerous drug which kills thousands of Americans each year. The street name for xylazine is “tranq” or “tranq dope”, but it has also been called the “zombie drug”.  What is it made up of? Why did people name it the zombie drug? Has it been seen...

After over three decades of relentless searching, the Golden Owl was finally found on October 3, 2024. This €150,000 treasure was hidden back in 1993 by writer Régis Hauser, who took on the pseudonym Max Valentin to publish ‘Sur la trace de la chouette d'or’  ("On the Trail of the Golden Owl"). The book has 11 riddles, each one a clue to the owl’s secret location, setting off what would become the longest-running treasure hunt ever organised. More than 200,000 enthusiasts, known as...

According to the American Academy of Sleep medicine, 50% to 85% of adults experience occasional nightmares, with 2% to 8% of people having nightmares that cause sleep problems. No one likes having nightmares, do they? These vivid, distressing bad dreams often cause us to jolt awake, heart pounding, in fear or anxiety. They can feature threatening scenarios, monsters, or deeply unsettling experiences. How exactly do nightmares work? What is the purpose of nightmares? What should you do when...

A lot of people are reluctant to go out in the cold during the winter season. It's a real shame, as there are many ways in which you can protect yourself from low or even sub-zero temperatures. You've probably been told it a million times since you were a kid, but it bears repeating: you need to wrap up warm! The clothes you wear outdoors trap warm air inside. A good starting point is wearing a cotton T-shirt to absorb sweat and thereby neutralise humidity, which can exacerbate feelings of...

It might only affect between 0.3% and 0.6% of the population, but still public awareness of kleptomania is pretty strong. It’s come to our attention through portrayals in films and TV series over the years, as well as real-life examples of Hollywood celebrities being prone to it despite all their riches. So the chances are you already know that kleptomania is a behavioural disorder which sees people feel an intense urge to steal. Often the item being stolen doesn’t hold any great financial or...

“Time and tide waits for no one”, the old saying goes, but it’s fair to say that some people are affected by symptoms of ageing earlier than others. And the latest study to come out of the University of Rotterdam suggests that there may be a link between how old we look, and how likely we are to develop certain age-related conditions. The team of researchers published their findings in the British Journal of Dermatology in January 2023. They had studied a group of 2679 people aged between 51...

We all know that the effects of tobacco on the human body are devastating. The World Health Organisation says that it kills more than 8 million people each year, making it one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever seen. It’s hardly surprising when you consider that cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemical substances, and at least 50 of them are carcinogens, meaning they are linked to an increased risk of cancer. Many people will attempt to quit smoking as part of their New...

You've probably noticed that as soon as the back-to-school season ends, stores start filling their shelves with chocolates, garlands, and Advent calendars. For many of us, it feels like an early jump into the holiday spirit, even before we've figured out our Christmas plans. But beyond the sometimes overly eager marketing by big retailers, there might be some wisdom in getting a head start on your end-of-year shopping. And a recent report from John Lewis revealed that a fifth of people in...

To understand where white spots come from, we must first explain how nail growth works. If you’ve ever had white spots on your nails before, you may have been dismissively told that it's down to a lack of calcium or zinc. Basically, some mineral-deficiency. But this popular belief doesn’t really have any basis in fact. According to Healthline, nails grow an average of 3 millimeters per month. Their composition is made up of keratin, a protein, and just 0.03% calcium. So white spots are...

Ever checked the time on your phone or TV set and seen a quirky number like 13:13, 11:11 or 20:20? Well of course you have, but what you may not know is there’s actually a name for such numbers: mirror hours! Basically, when you’re looking at a digital time display, you see a mirror time if the minute number and the hour number are the same. It refers to the symmetry you see on either side of the colon separating the two numbers. Most people are pretty indifferent to this, or see it as a...