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There’s proof that a visit to the doctor can send your blood pressure soaring. A study found that a patient’s blood pressure readings were notably higher when they're taken by a doctor. But the nervousness and higher readings known as “white coat syndrome” was not seen when a nurse was doing the blood pressure check. Source Link
If you’re looking to save some calories at breakfast, eat a cereal with a big flake. A study found that people poured more of smaller-sized cereals when using the same size of bowl. Experts say it’s difficult to estimate correct portions with breakfast cereals because flake sizes vary so much between products. Source Link
Want the security of GPS tracking, plus calling and texting to your younger child without giving them a cell phone? The Filip is designed for pre-tweens and worn like a watch. It can be programmed to dial up to five phone numbers and can receive short text messages. The $200 device requires a $10 a month service plan. Source Link
Coming soon to a supermarket near you, it’s replicated meat. The product made from plant proteins can replace ground beef or chicken strips and has zero saturated fat and zero cholesterol. The taste and feel is said to be just like the real thing, without the less-than-appetizing texture of tofu meat substitutes. Source Link
When can breastfeeding become too much of a good thing? A study found that children who were breastfed for more than 24 months had more cavities. Experts say breastfeeding may contribute to tooth decay that can happen when a baby’s new teeth are exposed to foods without regular brushing or cleaning. Source Link
If you like to add parking fees or ban auctions when you play Monopoly, this is for you. The game maker is asking fans to post their favorite house rules to its Facebook page. Voting by Monopoly fans will select one house rule that will be officially added to the classic board game. Source Link
If you work in an open office setting, you may be hearing more coughs and sneezes. A study found that those who worked in offices with open floor plans had more sick days. Experts say germs can spread more easily in such settings, and offices that tout a group dynamic may also encourage employees to come to work even when they’re sick. Source Link
Here’s how to put some style into nerd goggles. The company behind eyewear brands like Oakley and Ray-Ban will design fashion frames for Google Glass. The wearable computer glasses are still in limited supply, but Google is expected to ramp up distribution soon with a starting price tag of $1,500. Source Link
A happy hubby seems to be the key to a long, successful marriage. A study found that long-term unions tend to stay happy if the husband has an agreeable personality and is in good health. Researchers say an agreeable wife was less of a factor in predicting marital harmony. Source Link
Could the way you feed your baby set the stage for having an obese child? A study of infants found that many parents put their baby to sleep with a bottle, or always try to get their baby to finish the milk, or offer milk every time the baby cries. All are feeding habits that experts say can boost the risk of obesity later in life. Source Link
Buying that fast food meal could be cash-free and card-free as America’s biggest restaurant chains roll out mobile payment options. Wendy’s and Burger King are ready to give patrons the option to pay for their meals using a smartphone. Number-one McDonald’s says it’s studying a mobile payment plan, but isn’t ready to offer it yet. Source Link
A bottle of beer before bed could be a cure for insomnia, but not any brew with a kick in it. A study found that the hops in non-alcoholic beer work with the body’s sleep hormone to help you doze off faster. Regular beer has the same hops, but the alcohol will interfere with natural sleep patterns. Source Link
When it comes to heart health, the “good fat, bad fat” rule may not stand up to scrutiny. A study that reviewed earlier research showed that eating more omega-3 fats made little difference in the rates of heart disease. Researchers say the earlier findings came largely from studies in which people self-reported what they were eating. Source Link
The horror stories about today’s youngsters awash in worksheets and drowning in homework assignments are overblown. That according to a new survey which found that the homework load for American students today is about the same as it was 30 years ago, and the average time needed for homework assignments has dropped for high school seniors. Source Link
Amazon is consulting the Kindle playbook to bring streaming video and even shopping to your TV. Reports say Amazon will soon unveil its own streaming device to compete with Google Chromecast, Apple TV and Roku. The thumb-drive-sized Amazon player would stream most of the popular video services and promote Amazon’s own Prime Instant Video. Source Link
Kicking the habit before delivering your bundle of joy make take more than slapping on a patch. A study found that nicotine patches were not effective in helping pregnant women stop smoking. Researchers say blood pressure was also significantly higher for pregnant women who used the nicotine patch. Source Link
Some day soon, your iPhone could be keeping track of more than your appointments and contacts. Reports say the next version of the iOS operating system may include a Healthbook app to measure your weight, heart rate, blood sugar, hydration, and more. It’s not known if the app would work with a new Apple fitness tracking device or sync with trackers already on the market. Source Link
Talk about a tasty way to take your medicine -- a new study is putting the heart-healthy ingredient of dark chocolate in pill form. Thousands of testers will take pills that are packed with cocoa flavanols. Small studies have shown that flavanols can improve blood pressure, cholesterol, the body's use of insulin, and artery health. Source Link
People
who focus on soothing sounds to help get a better night’s sleep may be
missing the scent. In a 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
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
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
It’s a new twist on the old “carry a baby doll” exercise to teach teens about the responsibility of parenthood. The Pregnancy Text program will send text messages to a teenager’s phone over a 12-hour span that are demands from their imaginary baby. Developers say it mimics the challenge of being a young parent in a method that will command a teenager’s attention. Source Link
If you’ve ever argued for an obscure word to win a few points in Scrabble, here’s your chance to add to the approved list. The makers of the Scrabble Dictionary are holding a contest to select one word that will be added to their new edition this year. Nominations are being accepted on the Scrabble Facebook page and then the public will vote to select the word. Source Link
The real winners in March Madness may be companies that allow employees to follow the NCAA basketball tournament at work. In a survey, about one-in-three businesses said watching games at work or participating in pools that don't involve money boosts employee morale and has a positive impact on worker productivity. Source Link
Is the “five-second rule” safe to live by? It depends on where the food lands. Researchers found that a cookie or sticky food dropped on carpeting was unlikely to pick up much bacteria in just five seconds. But dropping the same food on a hard floor or outdoors had a higher risk of bacterial transfer. Source Link
The combination of cell phones and driving makes for some of the most deadly accidents. A National Safety Council report lists distracted driving as a top cause of accidental death for young people. Accidental deaths in older people are often the result of a fall, and drug overdoses are the top cause of all accidental death. Source Link
There’s a new set of accessories to help the visually impaired use a smartphone. Samsung has unveiled an ultrasonic cover that detects the presence of someone, a stand that holds the phone above something to be scanned, and wireless tags that can be placed on objects, like a TV remote, to allow the phone to locate it. Source Link
The FDA has approved the first device to prevent migraines. The battery-operated headband unit sits across the forehead and applies an electric current to stimulate branches of the trigeminal nerve, which has been associated with migraine headaches. The device is designed to be used for about 20 minutes a day. Source Link
The smartphone has become a digital babysitter for many parents with children, but it may not be the kids who are getting the screen time. A study conducted in a restaurant found that 75-percent of parents used a smartphone during a meal with their children, and one-third of them used their smartphone through the entire meal. Source Link
How can you lose money while making money? Just ask the U.S. Mint, which lost $105 million last year making pennies and nickels because the nickel used to produce them cost more than the value of the coins. A long-standing call to phase out pennies is unlikely to pass, but the losses could be stemmed by switching to almost all steel in the coins. Source Link
It’s the home stretch in the race to enroll more Americans for affordable health care. March 31st is the last day to sign up for health insurance coverage and avoid a tax penalty for 2014. About 4 million have signed up so far, but a recent survey found that only 24-percent of the uninsured were aware of the March 31st deadline. Source Link
If you’re lactose intolerant, don’t think that you can go “raw” to drink milk. That’s the message from a study which showed that raw milk causes the same problems as pasteurized milk for lactose-intolerant people. Raw milk can contain dangerous bacteria and drinking raw milk can be fatal. Source Link
If you’ve ever asked your child for help figuring out a new electronic gadget, you’ll appreciate this. A study found that pre-schoolers were better than college students when faced with making a new device work. Researchers say very young children weren’t bound by strict concepts of cause and effect and freely experimented to make the test device work. Source Link
Researchers say they’ve created a blood test that can tell if someone will develop Alzheimer’s disease. The test measures fats in the bloodstream because low levels of certain fats can predict the onset of symptoms. Its developers claim the test is 90-percent accurate in determining if dementia will begin within the next few years. Source Link
The Millennial generation is politically independent and less devout, with fewer spouses and many single parents. Those are some the findings in a national survey of Americans aged 18 to 33. Millennials are the first generation in the modern era to be worse off economically than their parents, but they are the most optimistic about the future among Americans today. Source Link
Moms-to-be can now use a smartphone to listen-in on that growing bundle of joy. The Bellabeat Tracking System for iPhone and Android includes a special accessory that’s placed on the stomach to hear the baby’s heartbeat. The app also keeps track of milestones in your pregnancy and even lets you log each baby kick. Source Link
Baby Boomers take note -- just one drink may be one too many when you get behind the wheel. A simulator study found that even small legal levels of intoxication can affect the driving skills of people 55 to 70 years old. Researchers say the findings show that it could be time to reassess legal blood alcohol levels for all drivers. Source Link
Millions of people who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could take a big step toward improving their lives with a daily walk. A study found that COPD sufferers had fewer hospitalizations when they walked at least two miles each day. The breathing disorder is the third-leading cause of death and kills over 130,000 Americans every year. Source Link
Not sleeping well these days? Maybe you can blame your gadgets. A company that sells personal fitness trackers says a study of sleep habits among its users found that those who have a laptop or smartphone in the bedroom averaged about 37 minutes less sleep per night. It’s not just adults either, because three out of four children have electronics in the bedroom. Source Link
You might be blaming this winter’s cold and other weather woes for higher food prices this year. Experts say beef and pork prices will continue to climb, drought in California will make lettuce, tomatoes, nuts and grapes more expensive, and bread prices may rise because of a lower supply of winter wheat. Source Link
What does your hand have to do with the health of your knees? A long-term study found that people with a ring finger nearly the same length as the index finger were more likely to have knee replacement surgery. Previous studies have shown that finger size can relate to athletic ability and could identify people whose exercise habits are hard on the knees. Source Link
Don’t waste your money on programs that offer to teach your baby to read. That’s the conclusion from a study that tested the claims of reading programs aimed at children under two years old. Experts say the testing showed that babies cannot gain any reading skills from DVDs, flash cards, or word books. Source Link
Heart disease and cancer are the nation’s top killers, but you might be surprised at what holds the number-three spot. Health experts say Alzheimer’s disease is now the the third-most deadly killer and responsible for as many as a half-million deaths per year. The disorder is fatal when it impairs parts of the brain that control basic functions like breathing and swallowing. Source Link
It isn’t criminals who are fueling drug addiction for millions of Americans. A report says most people who abuse prescription painkillers get them free from friends and relatives. Twice as many people die from prescription drug overdoses as those who die from a heroin overdose. Source Link
A fashion doll with real-life body dimensions will be ready to go to market soon. A crowd-sourced Internet campaign has raised more than twice the money needed to launch the Lammilly doll. Its creator used national average measurements for a 19-year old woman in the design of the doll, which will go on sale later this year. Source Link
It looks like the wait won’t be so long for the next iteration of the iPhone. Industry watchers now expect the iPhone 6 to be unveiled this summer, and some retailers are already dropping the price of the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 6 will be offered in two screen sizes to compete with larger smartphone rivals. Source Link
Should Boomers be in line for a vaccination to prevent a painful illness that’s linked to chicken pox? Health experts say everyone in their 50s or older should consider having a shingles vaccination. Most people who get shingles are older than 50 because the virus can remain dormant in the body for years before being activated again. Source Link
Would you love the thought of waking up to the smell of bacon frying? Now there’s an app for that. Oscar Meyer has created an iPhone app that works with a special attachment to spray the fragrance of bacon when your alarm goes off. If bacon isn’t your thing, there’s another smartphone gadget that sprays the smell of butter as part of a mobile game about popcorn. Source Link
There’s a new warning about soothing your baby to sleep with a sound machine. Testing found that the machines, which play natural sounds or white noise to ease a baby into sleep, have volume levels that could damage an infant’s hearing. Parents are advised to keep the volume low, and place the machines well away from their baby's crib. Source Link
Could a ham and cheese sandwich be as bad as a cigarette for your health? A long-term study found that that eating a diet rich in animal proteins during middle age makes you four times more likely to die of cancer, or about the same risk as smoking. Research shows that a low-protein diet in middle age is useful for preventing cancer and overall mortality. Source Link
You should think twice before clicking on a web ad on your smartphone. A new report says bogus ads are now the number-one way that malware infects mobile devices. Experts say you should avoid clicking ads on mobile devices and never download an app from anyplace but legitimate sites like the Apple store or Google Play. Source Link
It isn’t just clean hands that should be touching you during your visit to the doctor. A study found that stethoscopes are often covered in germs and used from patient to patient without cleaning. Experts say you should ask your doctor or nurse if they’ve washed their hands and cleaned their stethoscope before any examination begins. Source Link
Most kids have the occasional bad dream, but frequent nightmares could be a warning sign for parents. Researchers say children who have scary dreams or night terrors regularly over a long period of time could be at higher risk for mental illness, such as hallucinations, interrupted thoughts, or delusions by the time they are teenagers. Source Link
Tablet computer sales are surging, but the company that started it all no longer sells the most. A new report says Android devices accounted for six out of ten tablets sold worldwide in 2013, with most of that growth from inexpensive no-name models. The Apple iPad accounted for about 25 percent of tablets sold, with Samsung holding 18 percent of the market and Amazon at just 5 percent. Source Link
Could flu prevention be as simple as you slapping on a patch? In a test, people were able to properly apply a skin patch that delivers the flu vaccine. Experts say using a flu vaccine patch would be more convenient than going in for a shot and could save money while increasing vaccination rates. Source Link
The old adage of “eating for two” is a dangerous myth for pregnant women and their babies. Researchers say gaining too much weight during pregnancy could lead to long-term weight problems, as well as premature delivery. Pregnant women should add no more than 300 calories a day, and overweight or obese women should add even less. Source Link
If you’re looking for a straight answer from someone, ask them in the morning. A study found that people were more likely to lie or cheat in the afternoon. Experts say our moral compass is more accurate in the morning because the brain is rested after a night’s sleep. Source Link
A little weight loss may make a big difference in better sleep for millions of people. A new study found that people with sleep apnea who lost an average of 11 pounds had significantly less disrupted sleep and daytime fatigue. Sleep apnea can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and type-2 diabetes. Source Link
The Internet is now used and loved by almost all Americans. A new survey found that 87 percent of people go online, and two-thirds of them use mobile devices like smartphones or tablets. Nine out of ten say the Internet is a good thing and about half say they’d be hard-pressed to give up their online habits. Source Link
If lack of brushing is a bad habit for you, there’s a new toothbrush that will keep you on-track for good dental hygiene. The Oral-B Smart Series electronic toothbrush works with a smartphone app to track brushing time and technique, and whether you flossed or rinsed. The smart toothbrush will go on sale later this year at a price of $365. Source Link
It’ll be hard to miss the calorie count on the revised food nutrition labels now being proposed by the FDA. The number of calories will be printed bigger and bolder, along with a new listing for added sugar. And average serving sizes used in the labeling will be increased to reflect the way most people eat today. Source Link
There’s a new vision test that may help quickly diagnose a sports concussion on the sidelines. A player is asked to read a list of numbers on a piece of paper, comparing the time it takes to a baseline test that was done before the season. Experts say it can be 100-percent accurate when combined with sideline tests for balance and short-term memory. Source Link
First-class air travel is rising to an even higher level with perks that mean more than a big seat and a great meal. Airlines are now shuttling first-class passengers to the plane in luxury cars to board separately away from the crowds. Such benefits come with a big price tag -- a first-class ticket can cost ten times the price of a coach fare. Source Link
