Can Media Multitasking Alter Your Brain?

© Neustockimages/Getty ImagesWEDNESDAY, Sept. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Multitasking with smartphones, laptop computers and other media devices could change the structure of your brain, according to a new study.

Researchers found that people who often use several forms of media simultaneously had lower gray matter density in a specific area of the brain than those who used just one device occasionally.

Scientists found the difference in gray matter density in the anterior cingulate cortex, which plays a major role in a number of thought processes and emotional control.

"Media multitasking is becoming more prevalent in our lives today and there is increasing concern about its impacts on our cognition and social-emotional well-being," Kep Kee Loh, a neuroscientist at the University of Sussex in England, said in a university news release.

Loh said that it's conceivable that individuals with less dense gray matter are more inclined to multitask due to weaker socio-emotional regulation. But it's equally plausible that higher levels of exposure to multitasking situations can lead to structural changes in the brain.

These findings support previous studies that found links between media multitasking and inattention as well as anxiety and depression, according to the release. But the release also noted that other research has found that learning new things can boost gray matter density in certain areas of the brain.

The research team used functional MRI to examine the brain structures of 75 people who had provided information about their use of personal media devices as well as TV and print media. Regardless of personality traits, people who frequently used multiple media devices had lower gray matter density in the anterior cingulate cortex.

"The exact mechanisms of these changes are still unclear," Loh said.

However, the study only revealed a link between multitasking and less-dense gray matter, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Further research is need to clarify the link, the researcher said.

The findings were published Sept. 24 in the journal PLoS One.

More information

Proof The Smallest Moments Are The Best Moments

Extraordinary, powerful, life-altering, I-can't-breathe-this-is-so-great moments get all the spotlight. For the most part, we don't complain. They're memorable. They're exhilarating. But these big, dramatic experiences in our lives shouldn't get all the credit. It's time for the little moments to have their day in the sun -- especially because they may make us happier in the long run.

Need more proof? Here's why the little moments in life really are the best ones:

Small moments bring unexpected joy later on.

© Blend Images

As a society, we're notorious for capturing everything -- birthdays, graduations, weddings, babies -- through the lens of our iPhone. Our camera rolls are stocked with images from these big moments. However, new research published in the journal Psychological Science suggests that capturing the opposite -- the mundane experiences -- may actually bring us unexpected happiness in the future. In other words, we might want to savor those days at the office or those afternoon walks in the park -- they may bring us more joy when we recall them in the future.

They're what we value most when we're older.

© Provided by The Huffington Post

Of course Hawaiian vacations and the births of your grandchildren are going to take precedence over most moments. However, one study suggests that the everyday moments -- the tasty latte and the long conversations with your kids -- mean more and make you happier as you age.

Little moments can add up to bigger moments.

© Provided by The Huffington Post

Kurt Vonnegut once said, "Enjoy the little things in life because one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things" -- and this wisdom rings true. Life is composed of tiny joys and victories that lead us to exactly where we want to be. Chances are you don't consider that email from an HR rep or the everyday coffee run where you bumped into a cute stranger a "big thing", but it may have resulted in your dream job or meeting the person who would later become your spouse. And those are certainly extraordinary moments.

They're worth more than material possessions.

© Provided by The Huffington Post

By now we all know that money doesn't buy happiness, experiences do. That long coffee date with your best friend, that drive home after a long day -- they all bring feelings of joy, relief and everything in between. And that's worth more than the fleeting happiness that comes with the swipe of a credit card.

Small moments inspire wonder.

© Provided by The Huffington Post

Think about it: When you just have to Instagram something, more often than not it's the beautiful flowers on your walk home or the sunset just over the river. As writer and HuffPost blogger Rudri Bhatt Patelwrites, stopping to notice the little things can prove to be an excellent source of inspiration:

The comfort of embracing an ordinary life is a place of honor. To exist, to breathe, to laugh and cry are all places of revelation, but sometimes we lose sight of this privilege. The mundane pushes me to only notice those things that are conditioned to be inspirational, like double rainbows, a sunset behind the mountains, or a breathtaking external view of something out of my ordinary existence.

Small, brief moments like this inject a little wonder and awe into our days, and as a result we're more joyful individuals. Worth it.

This GPS Guide is part of a series of posts designed to bring you back to balance when you're feeling off course.GPS Guides are our way of showing you what has relieved others' stress in the hopes that you will be able to identify solutions that work for you. We all have de-stressing "secret weapons" that we pull out in times of tension or anxiety, whether they be photos that relax us or make us smile, songs that bring us back to our heart, quotes or poems that create a feeling of harmony or meditative exercises that help us find a sense of silence and calm. We encourage you to visit our other GPS Guides here, and share with us your own personal tips for finding peace, balance and tranquility.

This article originally appeared in The Huffington Post

Health Benefits of Tomatoes

        Health Benefits of Tomatoes:

• Did you know that tomatoes do not have to be a deep red color to be an outstanding source of lycopene? Lycopene is a carotenoid pigment that has long been associated with the deep red color of many tomatoes. A small preliminary study on healthy men and women has shown that the lycopene from orange- and tangerine-colored tomatoes may actually be better absorbed than the lycopene from red tomatoes. That's because the lycopene in deep red tomatoes is mostly trans-lycopene, and the lycopene in orange/tangerine tomatoes is mostly tetra-cis-lycopene. In a recent study, this tetra-cis form of lycopene turned out to be more efficiently absorbed by the study participants. While more research is needed in this area, we're encouraged to find that tomatoes may not have to be deep red in order for us to get great lycopene-related benefits.
• Tomatoes are widely known for their outstanding antioxidant content, including, of course, their oftentimes-rich concentration of lycopene. Researchers have recently found an important connection between lycopene, its antioxidant properties, and bone health. A study was designed in which tomato and other dietary sources of lycopene were removed from the diets of postmenopausal women for a period of 4 weeks, to see what effect lycopene restriction would have on bone health. At the end of 4 weeks, women in the study started to show increased signs of oxidative stress in their bones and unwanted changes in their bone tissue. The study investigators concluded that removal of lycopene-containing foods (including tomatoes) from the diet was likely to put women at increased risk of osteoporosis. They also argued for the importance of tomatoes and other lycopene-containing foods in the diet. We don't always think about antioxidant protection as being important for bone health, but it is, and tomato lycopene (and other tomato antioxidants) may have a special role to play in this area.
• There are literally hundreds of different tomato varieties. We usually choose our favorite varieties by some combination of flavor, texture, and appearance. But a recent study has shown that we may also want to include antioxidant capacity as a factor when we are choosing among tomato varieties. Surprisingly, researchers who compared conventionally grown versus organically grown tomatoes found that growing method (conventional versus organic) made less of an overall difference than variety of tomato. While all tomatoes showed good antioxidant capacity, and while the differences were not huge, the following four varieties of tomatoes turned out to have a higher average antioxidant capacity regardless of whether they were grown conventionally or organically: New Girl, Jet Star, Fantastic, and First Lady.

Get your healthy dose of tomatoes at Don Juan Mex Grill.

Burrito of the week "The Love Burrito".

Reg tortilla, rice, black beans, carnitas “slow roasted pork”, lettuce, onions, cheese blend, cilantro chipotle dressing, sour cream, crushed chips.

Designed by Max Devers

Ask for a build your own burrito form to be featured in our weekly burrito contest

Burrito of the week : Lavantille

This one comes in a bowl with black beans, chicken & beef, onions, jalapeños, corn, lettuce, cilantro, crushed chips, sour cream, hot sauce, cilantro chipotle dressing.

Designed by Abdul Dobson

Enjoy our complimentary salsa bar when visiting Don Juan Mex Grill.

Burrito of the week: "Hottie Got Beef"

Reg tortilla, rice, pinto beans, beef, jalapenos, extra hot peppers, hot sauce, cheese blend, sour cream, crushed chips, lettuce.

Enjoy our complimentary salsa bar @ Don Juan Mex Grill.

Burrito of the week: "Economics Department"

Regular tortilla, rice, black beans, spiced tofu, cheese blend, cilantro chipotle dressing, hot sauce, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, serrano peppers, corn, lettuce.

Designed by "Lafayette College Economics Dept. Personel."
Ask for a build your own burrito form to be featured in our weekly burrito contest.

Burrito of the week: eastOnpop

Brought to you by popular demand, burrito of the week is back!!!!!

This week we are featuring the "eastOnpop" burrito:

  

Regular tortilla, carnitas, pinto beans, lettuce, tomato, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, cheese blend, guacamole, chipotle dressing, sour cream.

Enjoy the complimentary salsa bar @ Don Juan Mex Grill.

Designed by Jesse.

NOW HIRING

~Now Hiring~

.Counter Associates.

.Kitchen Associates.

2nd Shift (5pm-9:30pm).

3rd Shift (9pm-3am) Fri & Sat only.

MUST HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR 2

nd Shift.

Email contact information to:

info@donjuanmexgrill.com

HOLIDAY HOURS

On Monday, December 17^th we'll be closing at 2pm for our company Christmas party and reopen Tuesday, December 18^th at 11:30am

Closed from Saturday, December 22^nd through Thursday, January 3^rd.

Enjoy your Holidays!

Customer's Favorite!!!

Thanksgiving weekend.

Hi everyone!!! we will be close on thanksgiving day. No late nights this coming friday & saturday (open till 9pm both days). Happy thanksgiving to you and your family!!!

Don Juan Mex Grill.

$5 OFF your first online order.

Order online and received $5 off your 1st order. visit us at www.donjuanmexgrill.com
Enter promo code at checkout : 31donju

Offer only valid for first-time grubhub diners. order must be placed online with a credit card and cannot becombined with cash. Food and beverage subtotal must be at least $5.01. Not valid with any other promotions. 

See www.grubhub.com/fall2012restaurantpromo for official rules.

Expires 10/31/2012

Late nights are back!!!

Starting this coming friday August 31st, we will be open until 2:30am every friday & saturday night...

Turn Your Smartphone into our Loyalty Card

Join Don Juan Mex Grill on LoyalBlocks. Download the free LoyalBlocks app, get deals and perks every time you walk in.

Having a party? Don Juan's salsas can spice things up!!!

You can now order your favorite Don Juan’s salsa in advance for any special occasion, flavors include:
Mild, hot, too much hot, salsa verde, pineapple kiwi, mango pineapple, strawberry pineapple, pico de gallo, chipotle tomato.  for more information please stop in at our location: 518 march St. Easton PA or call us at 610-438-5661 or email us at info@donjuanmexgrill.com

We'll be on vacation returning Monday July 30th

Dear Customers,

Starting sunday July 15th, we will be on vacation taking muchas siestas, returning Monday July 30th. See you pronto (soon!!!).

Don Juan's Team.

Health Benefit of Pinto Beans

Health Benefits of Pinto Beans 

• Pinto beans, like most of the other beans, are rich in fibers that are known for lowering cholesterol.
• The beans are rich in fiber, which restrains the blood sugar level from rising rapidly after a meal. Because of this factor, they prove to be an excellent food for individuals suffering from diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.
• Pinto beans help in stabilizing the blood sugar levels, while providing consistent slow-burning energy to the body.
• The soluble fibers present in these beans form a gel-like substance in the digestive tract, which links with the bile and removes it from the body.
• Pinto beans also contain insoluble fibers, which prevent constipation and also help increase the stool bulk. Several digestive disorders, like the bowel syndrome and diverticulosis, can be prevented by regular intake of pinto beans.
• The beans are rich in molybdenum, folate, manganese, protein, vitamin B1 and minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and copper, which are highly beneficial to health.
• Pinto beans enrich the body with fat-free high quality protein, when eaten with combination of whole grains like brown rice.
• The beans prove highly helpful in preventing heart diseases. They are rich in fiber, folate, magnesium and potassium, all of which play significant role in preventing the heart diseases.
• Pinto beans are extremely helpful for people sensitive to sulfites. Sulfites are the preservatives added to foods like salads. People sensitive to sulfites may experience rapid heartbeat, headache or disorientation after consuming them in high amount. However, the molybdenum present in pinto beans detoxifies sulfites and proves extremely helpful.
• The beans are highly healthy for menstruating women, pregnant women, lactating women, growing children and adolescents, who have a greater need for iron in their body.
• Pinto beans have an added advantage of being fat-free, unlike the red meat. Thus, they are richer source of iron, in comparison to the red meat.
• The manganese and copper present in the beans are important cofactors of the oxidative enzyme called superoxide dismutase. This enzyme disarms free radicals created inside the mitochondria.
• The copper present in pinto beans promotes the activity of lysyl oxidase. Lysyl oxidase is an enzyme engaged in cross-linking collage and elastin, which in turn build up the ground substance and flexibility in bones, joints and blood vessels.
• Both the iron and copper present in the beans help in hemoglobin synthesis.
• Pinto beans also contain vitamin B, which is not only active in energy production, but also has important brain cell/cognitive function. It helps in the synthesis of acetylcholine, which is an important neurotransmitter required for memory.

You can add Pinto Beans to your favorite burrito, bowl, salad @ Don Juan Mex Grill

Health Benefits of avocados (Guacamole)

Health Benefits of Avocados

Here are ten reasons to eat an avocado a day:

Prostate Cancer Prevention
Avocados have been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer.

Oral Cancer Defense
Research has shown that certain compounds in avocados are able to seek out pre-cancerous and cancerous oral cancer cells and destroy them without harming healthy cells.

Breast Cancer Protection
Avocado, like olive oil, is high in oleic acid, which has been shown to prevent breast cancer in numerous studies.

Eye Health
Avocados have more of the carotenoid lutein than any other commonly consumed fruit. Lutein protects against macular degeneration and cataracts, two disabling age-related eye diseases.

Lower Cholesterol
Avocados are high in beta-sitosterol, a compound that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. In one study, 45 volunteers experienced an average drop in cholesterol of 17% after eating avocados for only one week.

Heart Health
One cup of avocado has 23% of the recommended daily value of folate. Studies show that people who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower incidence of heart disease than those who don't. The vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, and glutathione in avocado are also great for your heart.

Stroke Prevention
The high levels of folate in avocado are also protective against strokes. People who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower risk of stroke than those who don't.

Better Nutrient Absorption Research has found that certain nutrients are absorbed better when eaten with avocado. In one study, when participants ate a salad containing avocados, they absorbed five times the amount of carotenoids (a group of nutrients that includes lycopene and beta carotene) than those who didn't include avocados.

Glutathione Source
Avocados are an excellent source of glutathione, an important antioxidant that researchers say is important in preventing aging, cancer, and heart disease.

Vitamin E Powerhouse
Avocados are the best fruit source of vitamin E, an essential vitamin that protects against many diseases and helps maintains overall health.

Add Avocado (Guacamole) to your favorite burrito, bowl, salad, tacos or just eat it with chips @ Don Juan Mex Grill.

Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Health benefits of tomatoes include treating urinary tract infections, skin ailments and diabetes, lowering hypertension, and they are also good for gut health and eyesight. Tomato is considered both a vegetable and fruit and forms an integral part of cuisine round the globe. It boosts the health of a person if consumed daily. It contains numerous antioxidants which combat various types of cancer. Also tomato is rich in minerals and vitamins and also protects the heart from cardiovascular diseases. Also, tomato prevents urinary tract infections and hypertension, and promotes eye health.



Health benefits of tomatoes have been known to mankind from ancient times. Following are some benefits of tomatoes:

• If tomatoes are consumed in large amount, they help in improving the texture and color of the skin.
• Also, tomatoes are good blood purifiers.
• They help in the cases of congestion of liver and also dissolve gallstones. They also protect liver from cirrhosis.
• Tomatoes act like a natural antiseptic and hence protect from infections. Nicotinic acid present in tomatoes help in reducing blood cholesterol levels thereby preventing heart disorders.
• Vitamin K present in tomatoes help in preventing hemorrhages.
• Tomatoes contain lycopene. Lycopene is the red pigment present in tomatoes. It acts as a powerful antioxidant which fights cancer cells.
• According to the studies of American Medical Association, daily consumption of tomatoes decreases the oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes.
• Tomato helps in reducing the risk of developing hypertension.
• Vitamin A in tomato aids in preventing macular degeneration and night blindness, and in improving vision.

Have some tomatoes @ Don Juan Mex Grill with your favorite tacos, burritos, bowls & quesadillas in the form of salsas, pico de gallo, or just plain...