orgasm killers
August 8, 2007 by Cash · 2 Comments
Yahoo health recently featured an article (also based on the book mentioned prior on UM here) talking about orgasm inhibitors for both men and women. This list is somewhat surprising.
the orgasmic diet for her
A new book promises to deliver the “O” face within two weeks, even if she’s never had one before.
next big thing in skin care: wine based face creams
August 3, 2007 by Cash · 4 Comments
According to the LA Times, Wine’s not just for swishing and swirling anymore. One of the active elements of the grape; resveratrol; is being harvested with the hopes of being one of the most powerful antioxidents on the planet.
supercharge your serotonin
August 2, 2007 by Cash · 4 Comments
Walking to the car, still somewhat hypnotized in the afterglow of the Daft Punk show, Glenn and I found ourselves talking about Serotonin (hmm, no idea why 
). Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for mood, hunger and sleep. Many things, both natural and, ahem, “not so natural”, can deplete your serotonin levels more quickly than the body can regenerate them. This can result in depression, insomnia, and a slew of other nasty symptoms.
I lamented the fact that no one had invented a ’synthetic Serotonin’. Glenn pointed out that many prescription anti-depressents (Prozac for one) aimed to be just that.
I knew there had to be an over the counter alternative, and the next day, my research began.
summertime sex
July 31, 2007 by Cash · 2 Comments
With UM’s resident ’sexpert’ Greg out of the UM offices for a few days during his move, it’s my duty to share a great piece on the current season’s role in sexy time.
urban monarch one year anniversary
July 13, 2007 by Cash · 8 Comments
It’s official. UM has been around for a whole year. In that time, authors have come and gone, features have been featured, and plenty of alcohol, grooming products, and fiber bars have been sampled.
I’m quite proud of the work we do here @ UM, but on this important occasion I thought it would be fun to look back at some of the ahem, less important information we’ve shared with you, our most valuable readers.
9 Quirks of the Mind
July 12, 2007 by Greg · 4 Comments
At Urban Monarch we’re always trying to understand ourselves better. Lifehack is helping us out by letting us know about 9 brain quirks we didn’t know we had. The list includes:
- Your short-term memory has a max capacity of seven.
- Chartreuse is the most visible color.
- Your subconscious is smarter than you are.
- You have two nervous systems.
- Your brain is awful at probability.
- Your memory isn’t great either.
- You can perceive depth with one eye.
- Long-term memory shuts down during sleep.
- You have an instant playback feature.
Drink More Water
July 5, 2007 by Greg · 3 Comments
When I’m working in an office, I drink more than enough water. My 32 ounce plastic water bottle is an essential item that I take with me to every job. I drink at least two to three refills daily, easily earning my quota. However, be it the weekends or vacations, when I’m not working my hydration level suffers. Read more
Get More Energy
Neil Strauss ends his forward to The Mystery Method with… “Welcome to your new lifestyle. Are you tired yet?” Apparently pickup artists aren’t the only ones feeling a little sleepy.
Every day, 2.2 million Americans complain of being tired. Most of us chalk it up to having too much to do and not enough time to do it in, especially during extra-busy periods. But often the true culprits are our everyday habits: what we eat, how we sleep, and how we cope emotionally. Read on for some simple, recharging changes that can help you tackle all of the energy stealers in your life.
Social Dancing - Part of an Active Lifestyle, Not a Workout
July 2, 2007 by Greg · 2 Comments
Last week I decided to wear my heart rate monitor as I practiced salsa steps. Dancing is an activity that I enjoy doing, so I wanted to investigate the level of its effectiveness. After 30 minutes of an intense, fitness targeted salsa footwork DVD my heart rate hovered around 110 bpm. Apparently dancing isn’t the work out I thought it was. Read more
Exercising Goals
June 25, 2007 by Greg · 3 Comments
Last weekend I walked into a Saturday matinee performance of Burn The Floor, a touring ballroom dance showcase. In front of me was the obligatory elderly couple with their middle age children escorting them to their seats. I wondered at what point in life does the overwhelming fear of walking, and subsequently falling, necessitate the need for a personal escort across a well lit auditorium. I doubted that the dancers in the show, after a lifetime of physical fitness, would succumb to such a fate. I doubted that almost 80 year old yoga teacher B. K. S. Iyengar worries about falling over and breaking a hip.
End Life Goal #1 - Don’t end up with a walker…
Nap MP3s
My friend Zach falls asleep waiting for his breakfast to be served. I am not afforded this luxory. I became increasingly more aware of this as I traveled on a red-eye flight delayed till early morning. I sat in a groggy state for hours as I attempted to fall asleep but only nodded off once in a while. I could’ve used some napping mp3s. Read more
enjoy the silence
June 13, 2007 by Cash · 5 Comments
Sunshine and synthpop. In my mind, it’s an ideal combination. Most mornings and late afternoons, I get to mix the two together as I soak up the sublime walk from the light rail station to my building. Goldfrapp, Ladytron, some Junior Boys and even Depeche Mode have been acting as a perfect soundtrack for my stroll.
Today however, after barely making the train following a spirited dash through honking horns and crimson stoplights, I dug through my messenger bag only to come up empty. Dammit. In my mind’s eye, I could see my silver iPod shuffle taunting me from my tabletop.
Grocery Shopping for a Week
June 7, 2007 by Greg · 4 Comments
Usually I’m chained to a desk and locked in a cubicle 40 hours a week. This makes morning meals on the go a necessity and ready to eat lunches a must. Now that I’m free from the grind, I’m having trouble with, of all things, feeding myself. I get up, start doing things, an inevitably hunger comes with an unruly demand to be satiated.
This reminds me of the Pavarotti quote.
One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.
sleeptracker watch review
When I first heard we’d be getting the Sleeptracker watch for review, I was excited for one reason: biphasic sleep.
Although my own biphasic efforts have been less than perfect (”Alcohol; the cause of and solution to all of life’s problems”) the Sleeptracker watch has proven a powerful tool for my quest.
how to: easily clean your george foreman grill
May 25, 2007 by Cash · 6 Comments
Several years ago my sister surprised me at Christmas with a George Foreman Grill. At the time I was both living in an apartment with a TINY, almost unusable kitchen, as well as beginning to get into healthier eating habits. The grill turned out to be the the perfect gift for both these reasons. It cooked my two staples at the time, chicken and salmon, quickly, evenly and most important -easily.
Cleaning up afterwards however was anything but.
cubicle exercises
May 17, 2007 by Cash · 6 Comments
For the time being, I’m chained to the slate gray walls of a cube for 8 hours a day. I definitely take my share of ‘breaks’; walking upstairs to get water for my coffee / tea, heading to the one stairwell where my cell phone actually gets a signal, etc. Nonetheless, I spend the majority of my time sitting still with the exception of my fingers tapping away at my keyboard.
Mike D’Angelo’s ten easy desk exercises sound like a welcome addition to my day.
Meditation: A Yogic Introduction
May 7, 2007 by Greg · 3 Comments
I had a girlfriend in college who was always trying to get me to do yoga with her. It took only one attempt to dangle my own junk in my face and from then forward I reluctantly obliged her practice. I graduated, moved to a new city, and for reasons both frustrating to her and unbeknownst to me, I took up an active yoga practice. Now it is a touchstone in my life that reappears to provide answers from time to time. Read more
computer walkstation
May 1, 2007 by Cash · 9 Comments
While perusing the net seeking to answer an age old question I’ve been pondering lately (Why am I so tired after sitting at a desk all day?) I stumbled upon an interesting concept in computer workstation.
Perhaps a better term would be ‘walkstation’.
grooming: 5 tips for beating body odor
April 30, 2007 by Cash · 7 Comments
photo of a girl whose man does not have body odor
We at Urban Monarch are definitely fans of proper grooming, and with the blazing summer sun just around the corner it’s a good time to think about that most crucial of grooming essentials; not stinking.
Body odor is the smell of bacteria growing on your body. Although sweat can amplify it’s ability to grow, sweat itself is almost entirely odorless.
To get you off to a good start, here’s 5 easy tips for keeping BO on the down low.
Sleep Monitors
April 24, 2007 by Greg · 8 Comments
Since the last biphasic sleep update we’ve been talking to a few companies who make rem sleep monitors. These devices monitor your motion as you sleep to determine which stages of sleep you enter and for what durations.
[Updated: Axbo Alarm Clock]
