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You have a better chance of beating the big “C” when there’s a spouse in the house. A study found that married cancer patients are less likely to die of their disease than those who aren't wed. The benefit was bigger for men than women, and researchers say that’s probably because a wife will often encourage a reluctant husband to visit a doctor. Source Link
Remember nap time in kindergarten? It turns out that it may be the best part of a youngster’s school day. Researchers say taking an afternoon snooze may actually improve a child's ability to learn by improving memory. That’s important for many of today’s pre-schoolers in day care who put in longer days than their parents do at work. Source Link
Maybe the new question at the fast food counter should be, “do you want low-calorie fries with that?” Burger King has introduced a crinkle-cut french fry that has 20-percent fewer calories compared to the same size serving of regular fries. The secret is a new batter that absorbs less oil during frying. Source Link
If
you’re trying to stick to a lower-calorie diet, you might be better off
dining at a fast food joint instead of the sit-down restaurant. A new
study found that the average fast food meal has 50-percent less calories
than the typical full-service fare. On average, the sit-down meal totaled two-thirds of the daily recommended calories. Source Link
Imagine
being able to recharge your cell phone in just the time it takes to
listen to this story. That may be the future with technology being
pioneered by one of America’s top high school students. A national
science fair finalist has developed a super-fast system that could
be used recharge a cell phone battery in less than 30 seconds. Source Link
Not
getting enough shuteye could mean more than just fatigue. A new study
says that a lack of sleep is the number-one risk factor for stroke in
people who are not overweight. Researchers say getting less than a
minimum of six hours of sleep per night increased the risk of stroke in
middle-aged and older people of normal weight. Source Link
When it comes to finding out whether food is still good to eat, you might be better off trusting your taste buds than the expiration date on the package. A new report says many “sell by” dates on food have little to do with spoilage. But researchers found that nine out of ten consumers still follow the dates and 160 billion tons of food go to waste each year. Source Link
A few extra pounds in middle age won’t kill you, but adding to the scale will raise that risk. A new study found that people who were slightly overweight in their 50s but kept their weight relatively stable were the most likely to survive over the next 16 years. Researchers cautioned that the findings only apply to those over age 50. Source Link
The battle to build the next great tablet is putting Amazon back on the front lines with new models of its Kindle Fire designed to challenge the market-leading iPad. The Kindle Fire HDX comes in two sizes and promises to be cheaper, faster and with a clearer screen than the iPad, and with a built-in feature to push video content from the tablet to your TV. Source Link
Don’t count on copper or magnets to help ease your arthritis. A new study with rheumatoid arthritis patients found that copper and magnetic bracelets had no effect on pain and swelling. It’s estimated that over a billion dollars is spent worldwide on copper and magnetic devices that are touted as treatments for arthritis pain. Source Link
It’s the kind of binging that doesn’t include more calories, and we’re doing more of it these days. A new survey found that at least three out of four users of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime watch three or more episodes of a TV series in one sitting. The habit seems to favor the approach of debuting an entire season at once, as Netflix has done. Source Link
Can a college cafeteria serve up a solution to the dreaded “Freshman Fifteen?” The University of New Hampshire is testing a new dinner plate that includes markings to show the size of healthy portions of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins. The plates are also printed with suggestions for foods to fill the particular spots. Source Link
Small changes in household routines can make a big difference in helping kids who are at-risk for obesity. Just an hour less of screen time and getting more sleep were factors that helped youngsters limit their weight gain. A warm bath and having a book read to them lead to better sleep for the young children in the study. Source Link
Is your Facebook “like” a protected form of free speech? A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of a former deputy sheriff who sued after being fired for liking the Facebook page of a candidate running against his boss.The ruling said the Facebook “like” was no different from expressing an opinion aloud in public, which is protected under the First Amendment. Source Link
Whether you prefer a sniff over a poke, want to hold the eggs or get a super-shot of protection, there are lots of choices for flu vaccination this year. The flu nasal spray offers four-way protection, egg-free vaccinations can help those who are allergic, and seniors can opt for a high-dose shot. Experts say early fall is the best time for flu vaccination. Source Link
Think of it as a colorful kick for your immune system. A new study says that red grapes and blueberries may boost your body’s ability to fight-off infection. Lab tests showed that a compound found in red grapes and blueberries works with vitamin D to boost the body’s genetic key to immune function. Source Link
There are still nearly 100 shopping days until Christmas, but experts are already saying that more of that money will be spent using a smartphone screen or tablet. It’s estimated that mobile holiday shopping will total $62 billion this year. Mobile devices will be the go-to research tool for shoppers who then hit the stores or the Internet for holiday gifts. Source Link
It sounds like familiarity breeds better listening, or maybe none at all. A study involving middle-aged couples found that we’re better able to pick out the voice of our spouse in a crowd. On the other hand, people can more easily tune out that familiar voice when trying to hearing someone else talking. Source Link
Enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act hasn’t begun yet, but scammers are already hard at work trying to steal personal information under the guise of the new law. Officials say some bogus operators are using threatening emails, phone calls and door-to-door visits, even targeting the elderly who already have Medicare coverage. Source Link
There may be lots more shopaholics among us than are willing to admit it. In a new survey, one-third of people say they feel guilt or shame after shopping, 20-percent hide their purchases from family, and one-quarter check their available credit at least once a week. But only five-percent admit to being compulsive shoppers. Source Link
Using a Kindle, Nook or iPad may be the key to helping people with dyslexia become better readers. A new study found that students with the reading disability did better when using an e-reader. Researchers say using a screen with shorter lines of type and fewer words improved reading comprehension. Source Link
Could two simple questions help identify seniors who are at-risk for physical decline? A new report says doctors should ask older patients if they have difficulty climbing 10 steps or walking a quarter-mile. Mobility problems are often an early sign of functional decline in seniors, which can affect their ability to live independently. Source Link
Don’t be quick to respond to that text message saying you’ve won a drawing for a $1,000 gift card for shopping at Target, Best Buy or Walmart. It’s the latest case of text spamming and federal officials have shut down one operation that sent over 40 million of the bogus messages. The offers usually ask you to submit personal information and sign-up for a number of trial offers. Source Link
This year, the guys can talk turkey to help with the Thanksgiving feast. The people who run the Butterball Turkey Hot Line are opening the counselor jobs to men for the first time. They say it’s a sign of the times in the kitchen, because now about one in four callers to the turkey preparation help line are men. Source Link
America’s teens are slimming down, but the battle against obesity isn’t over yet. A new study showed that the rate of teenage obesity has leveled off and the number of overweight teens has begun to drop. Better eating habits are being credited, but many adolescents still are not getting the recommended 60 minutes of exercise at least five days a week. Source Link
Maybe women aren’t the only ones who can blame a lack of estrogen for mid-life problems. A new study claims that low estrogen levels promote body fat in men. A man’s body converts some testosterone into estrogen. A slight drop in testosterone can mean a lagging libido, but researchers say it takes a big drop to affect muscle mass and strength. Source Link
When you can’t see the truth face-to-face, how can you tell if someone is lying to you in a digital conversation? Look for that awkward pause. A new study of texting, social media and instant messaging found that people who were being deceptive often took longer to respond and wrote shorter messages than usual when they were told to lie. Source Link
If you’re working to get more exercise, maybe you should try exercising at work. More people are using treadmill desks, stand-up workstations or trading office chairs for exercise balls in an effort to get fit while on-the-clock. Experts say you should try a new office exercise routine the same as any other, and do it gradually to avoid the risk of injury. Source Link
The old saying, “I feel your pain” may be something that’s hardwired in us when it comes to your friends. Researchers have found that the human brain reacts to a risk to a friend the same as it does to itself. But testing showed that the built-in empathy doesn’t extend to strangers who are in the same kind of danger. Source Link
It’s a high-tech way to keep kids safe in their car seats and prevent a tragedy. A new model uses smartphone technology to alert a parent if a child is left in the seat, which can text or email others if the parent does not respond to the electronic warning. The seat can display the temperature inside the car and show whether the seat is properly installed. Source Link
Never mind the government snoops -- a new report says half of Americans are worried about hackers, regular people and marketers seeing too much of their personal information online. Nearly all who were surveyed have taken steps to protect their privacy in cyberspace. About one in four say they’ve had an email or social networking account hijacked by someone else. Source Link
It’s not yet Fall, but it's already time to get a flu shot for your kids. America’s pediatricians are recommending that children have their annual flu vaccination as soon as possible so they can be protected should flu season get an early start. Flu shots are recommended for all children beginning at 6 months of age. Source Link
Can music soothe the savage driver? A new study found that you might be able to head-off a case of road rage with a fast switch to mellow music on the car radio. Researchers say quickly jumping to an easy listening playlist could also take the edge off in stressful situations in the office. Source Link
It’s
not just 16-year olds who can benefit from Drivers Ed. New research
shows that seniors who received simulator training and video critiques
of their performance improved their driving habits significantly. Even
two years after their training, older drivers still engaged in safe
driving most of the time. Source Link
Researchers
say young people who think they can multitask and learn at the same
time are fooling themselves. When students text, watch TV or browse the
web while doing schoolwork, they understand and remember less, and have
greater difficulty applying their learning. Almost a third of students
say they multitask while doing homework. Source Link
It’s sure to fuel the debate over when to begin mammograms. A new study found that women under age 50 who did not have the screening test accounted for half of breast cancer deaths. There’s strong disagreement among health experts about whether a woman should get a first mammogram at age 40 or 50. Source Link
What will be the price tag for affordable health care under the new law? A review of premiums for plans to be offered in 17 states found that a single 21-year old making less than $29,000 a year could get mid-level coverage for $190 a month. The same plan nearly doubles in price for a 40-year old, and would cost a 60-year old just over $600 a month. Source Link
Smartphone shoppers now have two choices for an iPhone. The new flagship iPhone 5S is joined by a lowered-priced iPhone 5C, which is last year’s model in a variety of colorful plastic cases. The new iPhone 5S features an improved camera and a fingerprint scanner that lets you skip pass codes to unlock the phone. Source Link
People who focus on soothing sounds to help get a better night’s sleep may be missing the scent. In a new survey, three out of four Americans said they feel more relaxed at bedtime if the room has a pleasant, fresh smell. Studies have shown that scent plays a powerful role in relaxation and memory-building. Source Link
More women are waiting for motherhood. A new report says births among women in their 30s and early 40s increased last year, while pregnancies among teens and young adults reached record lows. The nation’s annual birth rate remained steady for the first time since the economic meltdown five years ago. Source Link
Would you trade all those passwords for a small bracelet that gets to the heart of your identity? The makers of a new device that reads your unique heartbeat signature and stores the information on a bracelet say it can wirelessly connect to a computer for website logins or open an electronic door lock. Source Link
Smoking is gaining a bigger foothold among American teens with help from a new high-tech alternative. Officials say e-cigarette use has doubled among teenagers in just one year. Critics say the electronic smokes, often with sweet flavors, are a gateway to real cigarette use for teens. The battery-powered devices deliver nicotine in a water vapor that’s inhaled. Source Link
A new home pregnancy test can answer two questions -- whether or not you’re expecting, and how far along you are. The one-piece Clear Blue Advanced has two test strips to detect the presence and level of the hormone that women produce when they’re pregnant. It displays the estimated length of the pregnancy in one-week increments. Source Link
The world of Twitter is now searchable right back to the very first tweet. The website topsy.com has a new online tool that allows you to search nearly a half a trillion tweets dating back to 2006. You can look for messages sent by or mentioning a particular user, or search for a combination of words. Source Link
You may be hard-wired to love Facebook. Researchers found that people who were avid users of Facebook got a bigger boost to the reward center of the brain from positive social feedback. What’s not known yet is whether the brain feedback drives Facebook use, or if long-term use of social media changes the way the brain reacts to it. Source Link
Lots of Americans are losing sleep and popping a pill to try to stop it. A first-of-its-kind study found that 9 million people use prescription sleep aids, and it’s estimated that millions more are trying over-the-counter remedies to cure their insomnia. Experts blame the sleepless nights on a rise in obesity-related sleep apnea, more evening electronic distractions and continued financial worries.. Source Link
Here’s a wardrobe tip to help keep women within their budget on a shopping trip -- wear high heels. A study found that when the mind is focused on staying balanced atop those high heels, you’re more likely to consider all of your buying options. For men, researchers say riding an escalator can also have the same spillover effect. Source Link
Now you can see information about your life that marketers use to sell to you. A new website aboutthedata.com lets you review and edit records on your family, home and vehicle ownership, shopping history, and more. But critics say marketers have much more information than what’s being shared with the new online service. Source Link
People with heart disease often need more than one medicine, so why not put them all in one pill to make it easy to take? A new study found that heart patients are more likely to take aspirin and drugs for cholesterol and blood pressure when combined in a single pill. Staying on these medications can cut your risk of heart attack or stroke by half. Source Link
You’ve heard about the dangers of sleepwalking, but what about sleep texting? Health experts say they’re seeing more cases of people who unknowingly send random text messages in the middle of the night. The habit could be a sign of a serious sleep disorder, but the fast fix is to move the cell phone out of the bedroom at night. Source Link
These days, a visit from the tooth fairy usually doesn’t involve spare change. A new survey found that the average payout for a lost tooth is $3.70, up from $3 in last year’s survey. But there’s still some nostalgia for the old days of quarters under the pillow, because one-third of families found a dollar or less in exchange for a baby tooth. Source Link
Scientists think the variety of germs that do the work of your stomach may help determine whether you’re prone to obesity. A study found that people were less likely to be overweight if they had a diverse collection of gut bacteria. Researchers say eating more fiber could change the makeup of those germs and make it easier to shed weight. Source Link
It’s bad news for teens who love their music in the car. A new study found that young drivers make more mistakes behind the wheel when listening to their favorite music. And for teens, the cure may be asking too much. Researchers say the solution is for novice drivers to listen to soft rock, easy listening, or light jazz music. Source Link
Some are preparing for what could be the coldest winter in years. The editors of the Farmer’s Almanac, which bases its forecast on an analysis of sunspots, expect frigid weather for much of the East coast and the upper Midwest. That includes a possible blizzard around the time of the first outdoor Super Bowl to be played in New Jersey in early February. Source Link
The concept of “needing more personal space” is a real matter of inches and feet for people who suffer from anxiety. Researchers found that anxious people perceived a hazard as being physically closer than it really was. Anxiety triggers defensive behavior and the research could help to understand those with risky jobs, such as firefighters and police officers. Source Link
There isn’t a premium in the price tag for building a smartphone in the USA. A breakdown of the cost of the new Motorola Moto X smartphone that’s assembled in Texas shows it only costs $4 more to build than those made in China. The unlocked version of the Moto X is priced lower than the Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S4. Source Link
Just like buying a new car, you can trade-up at the dealership for the new iPhone that’s expected to be announced next week. Apple is ready to offer trade-ins at the store when you buy their newest model. Many retailers accept trade-ins, because the value of a two-year old iPhone can be enough to cover the upfront cost of the new model. Source Link
Scientists say they may have found a key to what makes us forgetful as we age. They’ve identified a brain protein whose levels decline over time. The discovery won’t help people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, but it could lead to treatments that might mean fewer “senior moments” for future generations of older people. Source Link
Is America falling out of love with the automobile? The latest figures show that the number of miles driven continues on a decline that began six years ago. Some say it’s because of lingering economic factors, but others believe that many young men today don’t see a car as an important part of their identity. Source Link
