<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a2fb1cd0b0f271e008b486b-1200/man flu shutterstock jelena danilovic.jpg" alt="man flu shutterstock jelena danilovic" data-mce-source="Shutterstock/Jelena Danilovic" /><p class="source"><span>Shutterstock/Jelena Danilovic</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul><li><strong>"Man flu" is real, according to an article in the British Medical Journal.</strong></li><li><strong>A professor in Canada argued that male immune systems are inherently weaker than female ones.</strong></li><li><strong>This could lead to increased susceptibility to bad bouts of flu.</strong></li></ul><hr /><p><br />Man flu is apparently real - and the cure is lying on the sofa and watching telly, according to one professor.</p><p>Dr. Kyle Sue, a medical professor at a Canadian university, spelled out what he described as "the science behind man flu" after growing "tired of being accused of over-reacting" to flu-like symptoms.</p><p>He made the case that men could genuinely be more susceptible to bad bouts of flu <a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j5560">in an article for the prestigious British Medical Journal</a>.</p><p>Sue, who works at Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada, first looked at studies with mice, which he suggest are "good models for human physiology."</p><p>Several studies he cited suggest that female mice have stronger immune systems than their male counterparts, and that gender hormones have a direct effect on the immune system.</p><p>But it wasn't just in animal studies that the phenomenon could be observed.</p><p>A 2013 study from Stanford University found that women's antibodies tend to respond more rapidly to an injection of the flu virus than men's antibodies.</p><p>The study also found that men with higher testosterone levels tended to have the weakest antibody response. As a result, the study suggests that testosterone suppresses the immune system, while estrogen boosts it.</p><p>The capability of the immune system to deal with infection has more consequences than the occasional sniffle.</p><p>In <a href="http://cel.webofknowledge.com/InboundService.do?product=CEL&amp;Func=Frame&amp;SrcApp=Highwire&amp;SrcAuth=Highwire&amp;SID=D29RUbWQ3T7Pcq8XJkr&amp;mode=FullRecord&amp;customersID=Highwire&amp;link_type=ISI&amp;IsProductCode=Yes&amp;Init=Yes&amp;access_num=000329127400006&amp;action=retrieve&amp;UT=WOS%3A000329127400006#addressWOS:000329127400006-1">a study of flu-related deaths between 1997 and 2007</a>, published by the American Journal of Epidemiology, a group of researchers found that mortality was more common in men than women across multiple age-groups, regardless of underlying conditions.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a2fb35d0b0f271e008b4870-1011/woman cold shutterstock agnieszka marcinska.jpg" alt="woman cold shutterstock agnieszka marcinska" data-mce-source="Shutterstock/Agnieszka Marcinska" data-mce-caption="Pregnant women reportedly display significantly more extreme flu-like symptoms than non-pregnant women, according to Sue, which proves the connection between hormones and the immune system." /><p class="source"><span>Shutterstock/Agnieszka Marcinska</span></p><p class="caption">Pregnant women reportedly display significantly more extreme flu-like symptoms than non-pregnant women, according to Sue, which proves the connection between hormones and the immune system.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Sue warns that, if these hormones do have a profound effect on the immune system, then "men may not be exaggerating symptoms, but have weaker immune responses to viral respiratory viruses, leading to greater morbidity and mortality than seen in women."</p><p>As a result, Sue believes that the common perception of "man flu" as an exaggeration is unjust.</p><p>When feeling under the weather, Dr Sue promotes energy conservation. "Lying on the couch, not getting out of bed, or receiving assistance with activities of daily living could also be evolutionarily [sic] behaviours that protect against predators," he advised.</p><p>Playing up to the stereotypes of men's reactions to illness, Sue jokingly said: "Perhaps now is the time for male friendly spaces, equipped with enormous televisions and reclining chairs, to be set up where men can recover from the debilitating effects of man flu in safety and comfort."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-addict-switches-google-pixel-2-android-phone-2017-11">I've been an iPhone user for 10 years - here's what happened when I switched to the Google Pixel 2 for a week</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/o8c0ieuQ-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

Here's why 'man flu' might actually be real, according to one professor

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5739e79e52bcd0210c8c30c7-431-557" alt="Image   Ads" data-mce-source="Google" /><p class="source"><span>Google</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Get ready to start seeing advertisements in Google's image search. </p><p>The search engine is launching its shopping ads on Images in mobile, so you'll start seeing a line of sponsored items when you search for a product.</p><p>Google will also give you the option of sorting products by features like color, type - for example, couch versus recliner if you're looking for sofas - and locations where you could find that product in-stores. </p><p>Jon Alferness, Google's VP of shopping, tells Business Insider that the goal is to make shopping on smartphones as easy as possible. </p><p>"The most common feedback people have left with Google Images is, 'I like these products - how much do they cost and where can I buy them?'" he says. </p><p>This new kind of ad helps answer those questions. </p><p>It also helps Google defend itself against <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-terrifying-trend-facing-google-2014-12">the trend where more people are starting their product searches</a> directly on Amazon.</p><p>As part of that, Google's also making its local inventory ads, which let stores list which products they have in stock,  more useful. Starting today, advertisers can add a store pickup link on the product page that shows up after a user clicks on their local inventory ad, and make all of their inventory searchable.  </p><p>Here's a look at what the experience will feel like. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5739e66f910584cc008c3282-/swarovski dot 1.gif" alt="Image ads" data-mce-source="Google" /></div></div></div></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5739e66e9105841c008c31a1-" alt="ImageAds" data-mce-source="Google" /></div></div></div></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5739ee0c9105844d018c3148-1-1/lia.gif" alt="LIA" data-mce-source="Google" /><p class="source"><span>Google</span></p></div><p></p></div></div><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5739ee1152bcd026008c3290-1-1/fitbit-gifv10.gif" alt="FitBit GIFv10" data-mce-source="Google" /><p class="source"><span>Google</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/astronaut-chris-hadfield-alien-life-2016-5">We asked an astronaut if aliens exist - and his answer was spot on</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="R2aTQxeDrB2DabjySO0-qw3TI1KeI5Tr" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'R2aTQxeDrB2DabjySO0-qw3TI1KeI5Tr',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Get ready to start seeing ads in Google Image search

<p><em>The </em><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks"><em>Insider Picks</em></a><em> team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business <keyword id="79969" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="insider">Insider</keyword> has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.</em></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Yogibo/b/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;node=8272396011&amp;field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Yogibo&amp;linkCode=ll2&amp;tag=biip_101816_yogibo-bean-bag-review-20&amp;linkId=e27e9bc5c233133e7822cec3eb3e3567" target="_blank"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/580686b28d83b437008b533d-840/yogibo.jpg" alt="yogibo" data-mce-source="Yogibo" /></a></div></div></div></span></p><p><strong>The INSIDER Summary:</strong></p><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>• Regular chairs can hurt your neck and back. <br />• This sack from Yogibo helps reduce pressure points.<br />• It's because of the unique beads and makes you feel like you're on a memory foam mattress.</strong></p><hr /><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />If you walk past my desk at work, you will find me cross-legged and hunched over, clackity-clacking away on my keyboard. Not surprisingly, my back and neck are paying the price.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an effort to beat back and neck pain, I've combed the web for the best ergonomic and lounging chairs - all of them claiming to offer superior support.</span></p><p>The thing that did it for me, though, wasn't a $600 padded leather chair or a swivel chair with fixed lumbar support. It was a sack from Yogibo, which looked a lot like a bean bag chair I used to have when I was 10.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes, plopping onto a bag filled with beads seems counterintuitive. But Yogibo doesn't make a typical bean bag chair.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yogibos are made from a stretchable cotton-lycra fabric and will accommodate even the most fussy or fidgety people.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fitted with this durable and stretchy casing and stuffed with frictionless beads, the Yogibo conforms to your body's unique curves and reduces pressure points.</span></p><p>A traditional bean bag envelopes you when you sit down - and not in a comforting way. The beads that fill the bag shift the instant you sit down, and, before you know it, you're surrounded by a giant puff and left with little cushioning.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stretching out on a Yogibo, though, feels less like you're sitting on a bean bag and more like you're lounging on a memory foam mattress.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085ZR8UM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_101816_yogibo-bean-bag-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B0085ZQ3FS&amp;linkId=63922a27b7b2c0bcff1e4209f80158a3" target="_blank"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58068710c524022f068b52df-840/yogibo-for-2.jpg" alt="Yogibo for 2" data-mce-source="Yogibo" /></a></div></div></div>My favorite piece of furniture is the Yogibo Max - the company's best seller. It's a plush, six-foot bean bag that you can easily mold into a chair, recliner, sofa, or bed.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Yogibo Max, which can accommodate up to four people, is perfect for watching Monday Night Football, gaming, nodding off, and so much more.</span></p><p><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085ZR8UM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_101816_yogibo-bean-bag-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B0085ZQ3FS&amp;linkId=63922a27b7b2c0bcff1e4209f80158a3" target="_blank">Yogibo Max, $239, available at Amazon</a></strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085ZQ3FS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_101816_yogibo-bean-bag-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B0085ZQ3FS&amp;linkId=63922a27b7b2c0bcff1e4209f80158a3" target="_blank"></a>.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Yogibo/b/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;node=8272396011&amp;field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Yogibo&amp;linkCode=ll2&amp;tag=biip_101816_yogibo-bean-bag-review-20&amp;linkId=e27e9bc5c233133e7822cec3eb3e3567" target="_blank">You can also find more Yogibo furniture here</a>.</span></p><p class="tagline">Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Business Insider's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks"> Insider Picks</a> team. We aim to highlight products and services you might find interesting, and if you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners, including Amazon. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback.Have something you think we should know about? Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/harmony-of-the-seas-cruise-ship-2017-1">The world's biggest cruise ship is meant for thrill seekers</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="pveHR1ODE682ljmOnV5VHeL22XJGW2LQ" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'pveHR1ODE682ljmOnV5VHeL22XJGW2LQ',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

You Searched For "recliner sofa" and got 3 results

Here's why 'man flu' might actually be real, according to one professor

Bobbie Edsor

Get ready to start seeing ads in Google Image search

JILLIAN D'ONFRO

The best chair to alleviate back and neck pain is a sack - here's why

Alessia Grunberger