4 Jan Horoscope
Kahlil Algya
I'll go first! I'm a gemini. And any time "intelligent" ? is in a description of me...well I'll take it...5 out of 5 for accuracy! Talkative too? It's almost like I wrote these horoscopes up myself. ?
For others, it's a matter of habit. Every morning, Ann Edwards of Lenoir, N.C., reads the local newspaper. The horoscope is always there, right next to some of her favorite features. Edwards tells WebMD she doesn't think much of astrology, but she plays along. "I'll tell my kids, 'Today is a nine for you' just for fun. I don't tell them if it's a five."
"Horoscopes tend to have a bias toward positive things," says Stuart Vyse, PhD, author of Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition. "There isn't a lot of negative material in them. That might be comforting to people."
Vyse, who is a professor of psychology at Connecticut College, tells WebMD that horoscopes are "a one-size-fits-everybody enterprise" - they're written for everyone who shares your birthday, plus or minus a couple of weeks. But he says horoscopes can still provide a "sense of comfort" because people tend to focus on the parts that are relevant to their own lives.
Adriana Freitas, a marketing manager in Miami, says she enjoys the "hit-or-miss" nature of reading her horoscope. "Sometimes I get lucky and what is written turns out to be true," she tells WebMD. "Sometimes it matches my day and sometimes not. When it [matches] it's funny and I might cut it out."
Psychologists call this "confirmation bias." People will latch onto sections of a horoscope that confirm or support their beliefs and ignore the rest. Vyse says this practice may have a psychological benefit. "To the extent that reading your horoscope gives a sense of order or meaning to your life, that would be a positive thing. The problem is there's no scientific basis to the horoscope, so I think acting on it is not a good thing."
Sandbek says he's concerned that people who regularly consult their horoscopes are looking for guidance, not comfort. "Most people who read horoscopes or go to psychics do so because they want information about themselves or what they should do," he tells WebMD.
Vyse agrees. "When they don't have a sense of control, people will engage in activities that give them even a false sense of control. We call this the 'illusion of control.'" Horoscopes create this illusion by hinting - even vaguely - at what a person should do or expect in the near future.
Vyse says this is one reason some women turn to their horoscope for clues about their love life. "Women are the more passive participants in the establishment of a relationship. I hope this is changing, but men are usually the ones who ask the women out. There's a sense that women don't feel they're in charge or have much control over finding a mate."
Other followers rely on astrology when making difficult decisions about their health. A New York woman who asked not to be named says she consults her astrologer before scheduling surgery. "I absolutely believe in it."
Vyse says this is taking the illusion of control too far. He says it may be fun to base "unimportant decisions" on your horoscope, but that's where to draw the line. "It's never a good idea to make an important decision based on your horoscope. You might as well flip a coin."
"It can be downright damaging," Sandbek says, "because the information people get from a horoscope is random at best." He adds that depending on astrology during challenging times can inhibit personal growth by interfering with your ability to make wise decisions.
Although Vyse doesn't recommend acting on your horoscope, he says doing so may yield positive results by boosting your confidence. "There is a benefit to being confident; you can perform better." But he and Sandbek agree there are more reliable ways to build self-esteem.
"If a person has to take random information to make themselves feel good, it's not a healthy way to feel good about themselves," Sandbek says. "We have a lot of technology and resources to make people's lives better. One way is to strengthen a person's support system, strengthen their relationships with others" and weed out bad relationships.
Other useful tools are stress management techniques and cognitive-behavioral therapy, which can help people feel more in control of their lives. Sandbek also recommends looking for self-help books "that walk you through the steps to making wise decisions and feeling more confident."
Vyse says the key to building confidence is the same whether you are a student or an executive. Instead of reading horoscopes, "people should spend their time preparing, studying, and rehearsing for whatever it is they're doing. There's nothing that prepares you better than practice."
Love Life Predictions for 23 July 2024: Aren't you excited to know how your luck will impact your love life today? Find out answers to your questions related to love horoscope for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.
Read your Los Angeles Times daily horoscope here. Find your horoscope for today and check back for general daily insights and view horoscopes for each sign of the zodiac for yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Claire Comstock-Gay is a writer and astrologer who has been writing horoscopes as Madame Clairevoyant for more than ten years. She is the author of Madame Clairevoyant's Guide to the Stars: Astrology, Our Icons, and Our Selves.
SECAUCUS, N.J., Jan. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The consumer-initiated testing business from the leader in diagnostic testing, Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), today revealed the results of the first annual "Know Your Health" survey. Aimed to empower Americans to take ownership of their health in the new year, the survey highlights how the U.S. adult population prioritizes their health, where they go for medical advice, and how proactive they are with staying on top of their overall well-being. With an influx of conflicting health and wellness information, where opinion is often presented as fact, lab work offers an individualized look at your wellness and is the first step to a healthier you.
From pop culture to our finances, Americans are fixated on being on top of this information all day, every day. But could this abundance of information keep us from prioritizing our health? Quest commissioned a survey conducted online by The Harris Poll among over 2,000 U.S. adults, which reveals that more Americans know their horoscope sign (66%) and credit score (58%) than their blood type (51%) or cholesterol level (20%). This becomes even more apparent when broken down by generation, with less than half (47%) of Millennials (ages 26-41) and only one-third (32%) of Gen Z (ages 18-25) reporting being aware of their blood type.
"For example, having high cholesterol levels may not have any symptoms, but it increases your risk for heart disease and stroke," said Nick Bellos, MD, National Medical Director Extended Care Services, Quest Diagnostics. "Knowing where you stand through diagnostic testing, whether it be your cholesterol level or other markers, will help you manage your health today to hopefully stave off disease and costly treatments in the future."
"Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all diet or wellness routine, as everyone's body is different," said Dr. Bellos. "The single best way to assess what's truly going on inside your body is through a simple, laboratory test that offers the essential knowledge and actionable diagnostic insights."
"Now more than ever, consumers are interested in convenient and individualized healthcare that puts the power back in their hands. Being proactive in seeking out personal diagnostics offers consumers the capacity to help them avoid potential health complications in the future and live a healthier life," said Dr. Bellos.
Quest's consumer-initiated test service is designed to empower people with the information and data they need about their health, with access to the same quality tests used by doctors and hospitals. With over 55 tests available, including a food allergy panel, complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, and many more, consumers can conveniently shop online and choose their own lab tests, schedule appointments for tests, and access results securely from a phone or computer. For more information, please visit questhealth.com or follow @testwithquest on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Quest has long been a leader in empowering consumers by making affordable, high-quality, trusted healthcare as easy as possible. With innovative tools, we give consumers more control over their own healthcare journeys and meet them where they are, supporting both consumers and their care team. Our online shop at questhealth.com has made it fast, confidential, and convenient for consumers to access dozens of tests from general health profiles to tests for conditions ranging from heart health to sexually transmitted diseases. PWNHealth and its affiliates will review the patient's purchase to ensure it is medically appropriate before submitting a test order for processing. PWN will also review the test results and contact patients directly if the results require prompt attention. Consumers can review, print, and share results with their personal physicians, or PWNHealth, and its affiliates are available to discuss. We were among the first diagnostic testing providers to offer free access to test results online. Our mobile app and patient portal, MyQuest, is accessed by millions of people who view and track their test results and other health data.
Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.