6 Things You Need To Know Today (January 31)

The new law, implemented this past Friday, means that restaurants, school cafeterias, and hotels will no longer be able to offer self-service soda fountains. While the obesity rate in France is relatively low (41 percent of women and 57 percent of men ages 30 to 60 are obese or overweight), the country is aiming to bring those numbers down through legislative measures. (Time)

Turns out a little sweat sesh is nothing short of magic. Researchers found that post-workout, your mind produces less GABA, an acid that inhibits neuroplasticity, making your brain more flexible and sharpening your mental ability. (Science of Us)

According to new research published in the journal Biological Psychology, practicing mindful meditation leads to decreased activation in the areas of the brain that cause us to ruminate. As a result, we perceive ourselves in a healthier, more present-moment way. "[This also] means that already in untrained individuals, short periods of mindful self-awareness are possible and offer the potential to enter a healthy self-perception state," study author Jacqueline Lutz says. (PsyPost)

While we're big on stocking our natural medicine cabinet, it's good to remind ourselves that even natural alternatives can be dangerous if not used properly. On Friday, the FDA issued a warning about homeopathic teething tablets that contain dangerous amounts of belladonna, and may be responsible for the deaths of ten children. With plenty of natural ways to soothe teething pains, it might be good to consider an alternative. (Popular Science)

A recent survey found that 2/3 of Americans would be willing to see a doctor over video, and 1/3 of people would actually prefer it to in-person visits, citing things like ease of visiting and lack of time. With only 5%-6% of primary care physicians offering tele-health as an option, this may soon be a way of distinguishing one practice over another. While face-to-face medicine is always preferable, a doctor involved in the study noted that video chat is it's own type of face-to-face, with doctors able to see and analyze symptoms. Welcome to the future. (Forbes)

A new study published in Physical Review Letters presents the first observational evidence that our universe could be a vast and complex holograph. This means that our 3-D reality (including everything we see, feel, hear, and our perception of time) is actually contained in a 2-D field on its boundaries. (Science Daily)