Sugar Water Gargle

Are you lacking in self control, especially this time of the year. Maybe your best bet is to gargle with some sugar water.

As surprising as this sounds, gargling with sugar water boosts self control, something most of us can use more of heading into the holidays with all those tempting treats.

These next few weeks are going to be big tests for everyone's self control. With all the office parties and big dinners, it'll be though to avoid overeating. But if you have trouble with self control this time of the year, or any other time for that matter, this new study might be just what you need.

Researchers found that when people simply gargled with sugar sweetened water they ended up having more self control on tests they had to perform. But the same didn't happen when they gargled with the artificial sweetener Splenda. Scientists think the self control comes about because the sugar hits taste buds on the tongue which activate a motivation center in the brain.

Participants gargled for three to five minutes to get that boost in self control. And the researchers involved in the study think this same trick might work if you're trying to lose weight and can't resist that extra dessert or if you're working out and want to do just a bit more lifting.

Either way, gargling with sugar water before hitting a party might help you avoid too much of those dishes you want to avoid.