Astringent. I only knew this word in the reduce-mucus context until just now. Lemons are an excellent astringent and are my friends. I love being able to expand my understanding of the word; I had a more narrow definition.
I ALSO learned in Un Lun Dun yesterday that phlegm has a second meaning - it can also mean calm. So, if someone is phlegmatic, they're calm (rather than filled with snot).
It occurs to me I should verify that instead of taking a dark fantasy young adult book at its word about that... ;>
Heh, I get to be an exception to that latter bit. I have some kind of hyper-crazy mucus production that I constantly battle, and I'd say I'm ... not so much... with the lethargic ;)
It does also mean calm. I belive the origin of the term stems from ancient Greco-Roman medicinal practice that divided the body into four substances or "humors".
I suspect the term phlegmatic as pertaining to being calm stems more directly from the psychological theory than the Greco-Roman medicinal one though. :)
I'm pretty certain it's a plot by biologists to take over the soda market.
My actual knowledge is very little. However, I've noticed a few things.
* Cold water quenches my thirst better than hot water. * Sucking on mints makes me feel less thirsty. * I'm less thirsty if I've brushed my teeth in the morning.
And a quick Google search on thirst got a causes of thirst not actually related to lack of fluids.
Oddly enough, it's something that's come to mind every cup of tea I've had in the last week or two.
Gatorade makes me feel like I'm going to DIE of dehydration. Thirst quencher my lily white ass.
My tea is closer to me than my glass of water, and I have a headache probably caused by mild dehydration but I want the tea more than I want the water, which doesn't actually seem to be doing anything useful. But look at all of the water in it! wtf!
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I ALSO learned in Un Lun Dun yesterday that phlegm has a second meaning - it can also mean calm. So, if someone is phlegmatic, they're calm (rather than filled with snot).
It occurs to me I should verify that instead of taking a dark fantasy young adult book at its word about that... ;>
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(The comment has been removed)
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It does also mean calm. I belive the origin of the term stems from ancient Greco-Roman medicinal practice that divided the body into four substances or "humors".
See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humorism
Interestingly enough these same categories have been applied in more modern medical practice as modern psychological theory:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humors
I suspect the term phlegmatic as pertaining to being calm stems more directly from the psychological theory than the Greco-Roman medicinal one though. :)
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Why on Earth not? If thirst isn't just an indicator for needing new liquid... what's it up to?
Biology = magic. Hmph.
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My actual knowledge is very little. However, I've noticed a few things.
* Cold water quenches my thirst better than hot water.
* Sucking on mints makes me feel less thirsty.
* I'm less thirsty if I've brushed my teeth in the morning.
And a quick Google search on thirst got a causes of thirst not actually related to lack of fluids.
Oddly enough, it's something that's come to mind every cup of tea I've had in the last week or two.
Reply
My tea is closer to me than my glass of water, and I have a headache probably caused by mild dehydration but I want the tea more than I want the water, which doesn't actually seem to be doing anything useful. But look at all of the water in it! wtf!
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