Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with unnatural

How is the body's set point determined

davisnot — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:23:38 -0800

What is the mechanism by which calories gained from eating unnatural foods, i.e. foods full of chemicals and preservatives, changes a person's appetite or metabolism, leading to weight gain? I have observed that I gain weight much more easily when I eat highly unnatural foods--processed foods that contain a long list of chemical ingredients. It seems that these additional pounds are very persistent.

Normally when I gain a bit of weight it's very easy for me to lose it. But it's almost like my set point has changed.

Is this a known phenomenon? Are there any theories for how or why this would happen? What about how to reverse it?

How do I keep my hair looking this awesome?

fermion — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:39:46 -0800

As a Christmas present, my awesome mom paid for me to get glorious purple highlights done at an excellent salon in my hometown. How do I take care of them and keep them vivid for as long as possible? This is the first time I've ever had my hair dyed, so I really have no idea what I'm doing. Do I just buy the shampoo and conditioner that say "for color treated hair" on them? I assume I should try not to wash too often (my hair is long enough that I usually only wash it every other day in any case.) Should I wear a hat to protect it from UV radiation? Use special conditioners to keep the bleached/dyed hair from frizzing and tangling? Re-dye it at home every now and again (and if so, with what, and how?)

Worth noting: my natural hair color is very dark brown, so it had to be pretty severely bleached in order for the color to take. Stylists have always told me my hair is very healthy, so presumably the 2/3 of my hair that is non-bleached and non-colored is still fine.

Unnaturally hard to find: the author of this quote!

eralclare — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:47:03 -0800

I need a reputable source for this quote (or something similar): "The only unnatural act is the one that cannot be performed." Any ideas? My mother is writing a paper for school and wanted to use the quote "the only unnatural act is the one that cannot be performed" but hasn't been able to find out who the author is. Googling has revealed one reference to William Burroughs, but as the source is just a random blog, it's not reference-worthy (nor does it necessarily give a definitive answer). Please help!