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Some take dozens a day and others opt for a more minimal approach, but there are very, very few amongst us who don't indulge in the odd selfie from time to time.

And it turns out this little habit, which older generations literally can't get their heads around, is pretty good for us.

Exploring the phenomenon during a recent study, researchers at the University of California established that taking selfies has a positive effect on the individual's mental health.

Using 41 students – 28 female and 13 male – psychologists analysed the group's day to day routine for four weeks and requested that participants – in the first week – make note of their mood and the time or event which influenced it at least three times a day.

In the three weeks which followed the introductory period, students were required to take a photo each time they made note of their mood change.

Dividing the group into three, one were instructed to take a smiling selfie, another were asked to snap a place or object which brought them joy while the third were asked to take a photo of something that would make someone else happy before sending it to them.

Researchers soon established that the group which indulged in multiple selfie shoots over the course of three weeks were happier and more confident than their fellow participants.

And that's all we need to know.
 

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While feeling forgetful is often associated with old age, a new study has revealed that stress is causing young Irish women to forget some very important tasks.

60 percent of female Irish millennials were found to be so consumed by stress that they were failing to take care of everyday jobs like taking their contraceptive pill, while 30 percent admitted that forgetfulness has become a regular feature of their everyday lives.

According to the survey – which was conducted by Bayer to mark World Contraception Day – a huge number of 21 to 29-year-olds are at risk of having an unplanned pregnancy, with 70 percent admitting they were more likely to miss their pill when stressed.

As reported by The Irish Mirror, one in seven women admitted to forgetting to take their pill once or twice a month.

Other basic tasks like removing makeup at night and putting a phone on charge were also affected during times of worry.

Professor Sabina Brennan from Trinity College told The Irish Mirror that the results of the survey add to existing research which suggests that stress and memory are connected.

She said: “Stress isn’t always a bad thing; a properly controlled stress response can give us extra energy and focus needed to cope with challenge.”

“But in today’s complex world psychological and social stressors can be unrelenting for millennial women, and can affect health, well-being and even memory.”

Spa day anyone?

GIFs: giphy.com

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If you’re sick of slogging it out in a stuffy gym or hallucinating during hot yoga, then you’re going to be all over the latest trend to grip our nation’s fitness fanatics.

Reminding the public that their nearest work-out wonderland is only on the other side of their front door, the Innocent Coconut Water Gym is inviting everyone to its grand opening, and we are so on board.

 

Urging people of all fitness levels to make the most of the great outdoors – and all it offers in terms of equipment – experts in the field certainly know how to make a compelling argument.

Neal Dempsey of Operation Transformation reminds us: “There’s nothing like exercising in the great outdoors to really mix up your workout routine.”

“It’s free, there’s plenty of fresh air and you can be as creative with your exercises as you like,” he said drawing on examples like hills, boulders, trees, rivers and lakes.

 

Oh, and in addition to not costing you a cent, you’re not plagued by your own sweaty reflection at every turn, and you have OODLES of space to lunge like Joey in Chandler’s clothes.

Ladies, it’s go-time.

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If you've spent much of your life wishing you could be more positive and productive in the morning, then you may need to take a lesson from this adorable daddy/ daughter duo.

Currently taking social media by storm, Ron Alston and his daughter Aliya gave the world an insight into their morning routine, and it really makes us question our 'drooling on the Luas' approach to the day.

Standing in front of a bathroom mirror, Ron helped his three-year-old child recite a list of affirmations to prepare her for the day ahead.

From reminding herself of her good qualities to promising to respect others, Aliya's start to the day beats ours hands down… and that includes the days we manage to dry our hair, wear mascara and make it to our desk in time.

Racking up more than 12,000,000 hits in just two weeks, this is daily inspiration many of us have been looking for.

 

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As debate surrounding the 8th amendment continues to rage, a host of Irish women have taken part in a short film created by the Repeal Project – the impact of which can be seen on Twitter this morning.

Directed by Dave Tynan and featuring a poem written by Irish writer, Sarah Maria Griffin, more than 30 Irish women including Aoibhinn McGinnity, Senator Lynn Ruane and Roisín Ingle can be seen wading into the sea as they call for a repeal of the 8th.

Highlighting the similarity between archaic laws of the past and the State's current reluctance to give Irish women ownership over their own bodies, We Face This Land drives home the need for change, and social media users, including Marian Keyes and David O'Donherty, have taken to Twitter in their droves to commend all those involved.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Like almost everything else she has dealt with in life, actress and writer, Lena Dunham, has been exceedingly candid about her struggles with Endometriosis.

Opening up about the condition in her newsletter, Lena wrote: "From the first time I got my period, it didn’t feel right. The stomachaches began quickly and were more severe than the mild-irritant cramps seemed to be for the blonde women in pink-hued Midol commercials."

"Those might as well have been ads for yoghurt or the ocean, that’s how little they conveyed my experience of menstruating," she added.
 

And after more than a decade living with with the condition, Lena eventually underwent surgery in the past year and insists the procedure has had a profound impact on her life. 

"I am strong because of what I’ve dealt with," she said. "I am oddly fearless for a wimp with no upper body strength. And I am no longer scared of my body. In fact, I listen to it when it speaks."

Confirming this, Lena took to Instagram last night to share a snap of herself at a pool party she attended alongside her Girls co-stars.

"Mother bleeping pool party at the Hilton Garden Inn," she wrote, "Say hi guys! The pool party rages on."

Making reference to her condition and the surgery she underwent last November, she added: "When the Target swimsuit does a b**ch right, Endo scars & all."

Following the surgery, Lena told fans and followers: "I was better than I had been in ten years."

You go, Lena!

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We're often advised to treat ourselves like we treat our best friends, but how many of us actually do it?

When the ladies in our life lament their stretch marks, hair style or wobbly tum, we rush to their defence and insist they acknowledge all their wonderful attributes.

And yet we rarely do the same for ourselves; deciding instead to berate ourselves over every perceived flaw and imperfection.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.

In an effort to overhaul her own attitude to her appearance, YouTuber, Rachel Levin, made a video which has racked up an impressive 2.2 million views in four days.

I Am Ugly, which was shared on YouTube on Sunday, shows Rachel struggling to list her imperfections when confronted by her younger self.

"You said my dark circles were too dark, my nose was too big, my lips were too small, and my eyebrows were too bushy," the young girl say to her older self. "What else is wrong with me, Rachel?"

Everyone else picturing their own six-year-old face? Yeah, us too.

 

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Stars of The Only Way is Essex – both past and present –  aren't exactly known for the natural look.

From botox and lip fillers to boob jobs and butt implants, the guys and gals of the BAFTA Award-winning show make no secret of their love for the surgeon's scalpel.

And yet, Amy Childs and Danielle Armstrong, both of whom made a name for themselves on the reality television show, have decided to take part in a campaign which seeks to raise awareness of the dangers associated with cosmetic surgery.

In stark advertisements for non-surgical alternative 3D-lipo, Amy and Danielle are pictured in coffins with the words 'Dying to be beautiful' emblazoned across the bottom.

Commenting on the hard-hitting campaign, managing Director of 3D-Lipo, Roy Cowley explained: "The message of our Dying To Be Beautiful Campaign is very simple, exactly that; You don’t need to die to look great."

Unfortunately for many involved, the public aren't buying it, and wasted no time taking to Twitter to scorn the campaign.

"I almost spat my drink out when I read that article," wrote one social media user last night. "Both don't even look real with the amount of sh*t they've had done."

"Is this a complete p*ss take?" asked another. "Both look ridden with cosmetic surgery, defies the whole point/message!"

"Well, that's a bit hypocritical. Worst two on the show for it! LOL!" added one of Danielle's followers.

Well, that went well… ahem.

 

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Ah PE; the one hour of the school week where your classmates revealed themselves in their truest forms.

The competitive kid, the team player and the gal who picked daisies at the side while the ball sailed over her head; PE was a veritable study in human nature.

While sometimes we loved it and sometimes we loathed it, we generally knew it would, according to our Irish mammies, ‘do us the world of good’.

And it doesn’t sound like much has changed.

According to recent research conducted by MummyPages, a staggering 91 per cent of parents think schools need to devote more time to physical education.

With World Health Organisation statistics suggesting Ireland is set to become the fattest nation in Europe by 2030, 73 per cent of parents are concerned their children don’t participate in enough physical activity and 82% would like to see a minimum of 30 minutes physical activity per day in school.

“As it stands, Ireland ranks lowest in Europe for the amount of time given to formal physical education within the national curriculum while at the same time we are set to be the fattest nation in Europe by 2030,” says MummyPages’ Mum-in-Residence, Laura Erskine.

“It’s a no-brainer. Not only do children who exercise daily, actually perform better academically in school, they are also better behaved and are less likely to develop mental health issues during childhood,” she added.

Look, we may have hated the oddly-shaped bibs we had to rock and the fact we were chosen last on more than one occasion, but it beat long division any day.

If you’re with us on that one, sign the petition  to see the weekly minimum mandatory time devoted to physical education in schools increased.

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X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne has revealed that she was hospitalised in LA last year because she was experiencing a secret breakdown.

Speaking on The Talk, the 63-year-old television personality confessed that her family “put [her] into a facility” while she was suffering from a bout of extreme depression.

In a bid to help others in similar situations, the mother of three candidly explained how she had “a complete and utter breakdown” during which she could not physically or mentally function for a period of three days.

 

Waiting backstage for the Manchester auditions to commence. I'm so excited to see what today brings.  Photo: @patsyoneillmakeup

A photo posted by Sharon Osbourne (@sharonosbourne) on

 

She said: “I had a complete and utter breakdown.  I woke up in Cedars-Sinai Hospital and for probably three days I knew nothing.”

“I couldn’t think, I couldn’t talk.  I could do nothing.  My brain just shut down on me.”

The British star – whose relationship with husband Ozzy was dragged into turmoil earlier this year by cheating revelations – explained how her depression had followed a period of prolonged stress, during which she had an extreme amount of commitments to attend to.

 

Check out this beautiful gold charm of a Pomeranian. It was made by my good friend @carriecramerjewelry  www.carriecramer.com

A photo posted by Sharon Osbourne (@sharonosbourne) on

“I was doing too much of everything, thinking I'm a superwoman, ‘I'm so strong. I can handle this, I can handle that’.  My brain just totally fused.”

While in hospital Sharon had the opportunity to avail of a range of therapies. 

She claims to have found group therapy most effective because there were several people involved who were undergoing the same experience she was.

Fair play to Sharon for opening up in such an honest way about her personal experience.

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There are very few among us who haven’t dusted off a gym membership or intensified an exercise routine the moment news drops that there’s a major social event on the horizon.

And for the vast majority of us, we do it to look good, fit a certain dress and give the metaphorical middle finger to anyone who might have doubted us.

But there’s so much more to exercise than being able to rock an outfit without sucking in all night as Kathryn Thomas told SHEmazing! when we caught up with her to chat about the latest research from Irish Life Health.

With 71 per cent of Irish people surveyed seeking to improve their fitness in their free time, Kathryn, as Irish Life Health ambassador, is keen to remind us that exercise is less about a number on a scale and more about improving your current health, securing your future health and protecting your mental health.

And while we might be all #fitfam online, research shows that the hectic lifestyles led by Irish people means we struggle to establish and maintain a routine – something which Kathryn understands, but insists we must tackle.

“Like you prioritise brushing your teeth or making your lunch or getting to work, the same needs to be done when it comes to health and exercise.”

And yet that doesn’t mean you need to kiss goodbye to life as you know it, with Kathryn saying: “I’m a firm believer in 80/20. There are some Friday nights when I come home, lay in front of The Late Late and order a takeaway, and that’s OK.”

"When I go out for dinner, I have a starter, a main, a dessert and I have cheese, coffee and wine. But I also know that I’ll probably go for a 5K jog the next day or bring the dogs out to keep that balance.”

“I don’t advocate completely cutting out any one food group – wheat or dairy or sugar – because it’s not sustainable,” she added.

Reminding us that exercise is more than just about the here and now, it’s about insuring yourself against the future, saying: “You don’t want to sit in a doctor’s office in the future and hear you have Type 2 Diabetes.”

And while the nation's attitude to exercise is changing as a whole, nowhere is this more evident than in women’s perspective to health and exercise.

Less than a decade ago, our news feeds were awash with ‘size zero trend’ images, but these days hashtags like #fitnotthin and #girlswholift are much more commonplace.

Commenting on this, Kathryn said: “I think social can come in for a battering, but on the flip side it’s also a really useful platform when it comes to fitness and nutrition.”

“There’s a wealth of information out there for people to get their hands on. Tutorials, guidelines, recipes, and these are very valuable things when it comes to good health and exercise.”
 

Explaining that she herself is still learning when it comes to exercise and nutrition, she laughs: “My perspective has changed on exercise since my days eating Chinese in the UCD bar. Now it’s about how vital it is to my health.”

And health no longer only refers to the physical, with Kathryn acknowledging the importance regular exercise has on mental health and emotional wellbeing.

“Yeah, feeling great has a lot to do with fitting into those jeans, but the serotonin does so much more than that,” she said.

Amen to that.

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There are days when we want a treat, and are more than happy to indulge.

And then there are days when we really don't want to succumb to our cravings, and yet we can't find a good enough reason to resist them.

If this sounds at all familiar, you're not alone.

Researchers studying the link between nutrition and emotion have ascertained that individuals who are more in tune with their emotions were better placed to choose the healthier snack.

According to the Journal of Marketing, researchers gave one group of people a course on nutrition as well as a course on recognising emotions in themselves and others while a second group were given only a course in nutrition.

Following the courses, both groups were offered a selection of snacks and while the former opted for the healthier choice, the latter plumped for the less healthy.

Researchers believe that their study proves an individual can train themselves to lose weight if they educate themselves on the emotional aspect involved in consumption.

"The authors developed an ability-based training program to strengthen people's ability to focus on goal-relevant emotional information." the paper read.

"They demonstrate not only that emotional ability is trainable and that food choices can be enhanced but also that it improves food choices beyond a nutrition knowledge training program," it added.

So there you have it, weight loss comes down to more than just knowing the calorie content of every item in you kitchen cupboard.

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