February 27, 2015

If you don’t have a taste for big credit card bills, you should avoid shopping while hungry. Tests showed that hunger may push people into buying more than they would when they have a full stomach. Researchers say hunger involves hormones that affect the brain and could interfere with impulse control that can curb overspending. Source Link

Mindfulness meditation may help older adults get a better night's sleep. A study found that a mindfulness program was as effective as sleep medications and talk therapy. Mindfulness encourages people to focus their attention on the present moment, instead of the past or future. Source Link

That fitness tracker on your wrist or the smartphone app that logs your steps and meals may help keep you out of the hospital. Some doctors think data from health tracking programs could give physicians a better look at eating, sleep and exercise habits to improve diagnosis. The next wave of devices could track blood sugar levels, blood pressure and oxygen rates. Source Link

February 26, 2015

The sweet spot for good fitness may not be a sweaty as we thought. A study found that middle-aged women who did vigorous exercise two or three times a week were less likely to suffer from heart disease and stroke than those who exercised more often. Even everyday activities such as gardening and walking were associated with significantly lower risks. Source Link

YouTube is going G-rated with a new app for younger viewers. YouTube Kids for Android devices will contain only family-friendly content and parents can turn the search function on and off. The app also has a timer feature to limit viewing time for young users. Source Link

Need a little help to overcome the urge to eat that extra doughnut or curb your smartphone screen time? The Kitchen Safe can help. The $49 hard plastic container the size of a small wastebasket features a time lock on its lid that can be set for minutes, hours, or days, and what goes in won’t come out until the time is up. Source Link

February 25, 2015

Beating that peanut allergy could be as simple as slapping on a patch. Testing is underway using patches that help the body build immunity to the peanut allergy. The treatment wouldn’t make people peanut eaters but could prevent dangerous reactions from exposure to trace amounts of peanuts found in many processed foods. Source Link

If there’s a smartphone in your pocket, you may not need that fitness tracker on your wrist. A study found when it comes to wellness, wearable trackers may not be as reliable or easy to use as smartphone apps. Some fitness trackers could be highly inaccurate, providing low readings that might discourage people or higher readings that promote bad habits like overeating. Source Link

The View-Master has been re-imagined for the Millennial generation by combining the the 20th Century viewer and photo reels with your smartphone. Google and Mattel have teamed up to design the new View-Master that will hold a smartphone to add a virtual reality effect and new vistas. The new View-Master will debut this fall at a price of $30. Source Link

February 24, 2015

In online dating, your virtual name might be the key to finding love. A study says having a screen name that starts with a letter in the first half of the alphabet might boost your chances for romance. Search engines sort names alphabetically and studies show some measures of personal success are associated with a name that appears early in the ABCs. Source Link

The long-awaited Apple iWatch might be losing by a hair when it comes to offering a popular feature. Reports say the smart watch is unable to monitor heart rate like an EKG does because stray arm hairs confound the readings. Apple is said to have ordered up to 6 million iWatches that will go on sale this Spring. Source Link

They certainly have the chops for it, but what can a beaver’s bite teach us about preventing cavities? Scientists say more iron in the enamel of a beaver tooth makes it stronger. That could lead researchers to new treatments that are better than fluoride to protect human teeth against cavities. Source Link

February 23, 2015

The sooner that menopause symptoms start, the longer they might last. That’s among the findings in a study showing the average woman experiences hot flashes for over seven years. But when those menopause symptoms start earlier in age, women may suffer through the night sweats and sudden heat waves for up to 14 years. Source Link

Don’t expect to see your Amazon orders arriving by drone any time soon. New proposed government rules would ban commercial drone flights unless the tiny aircraft is within eyesight of the operator. The new rules would allow anyone to be licensed to use a drone for business purposes after taking a written test and passing a security check. Source Link

Your dog knows when you turn that frown upside down and vice versa, too. A study found that dogs could recognize smiles and frowns on people. Dog lovers might think otherwise, but researchers say it's still unclear whether dogs can understand the emotions behind people's facial expressions. Source Link

February 20, 2015

What can make up for a day of sitting? How about an hour of exercise? Research shows that exercise has a more powerful effect in helping the heart than sitting does in harming it, so one hour of physical exercise could counteract the effects of sitting for six to seven hours a day. Too much sitting has been linked to obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure. Source Link

The difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon is making sick kids even sicker. Parents are twice as likely to make a dosage mistake when children’s medicine uses teaspoons and tablespoons for measurement. Doctors can switch to milliliter dosing and most pharmacies will provide oral syringes for accurate measurements. Source Link

So who’s more talkative -- men or women? It may depend on the setting. Researchers who followed test subjects say that women were slightly more talkative in social settings like a lunchroom, but much more likely to engage in long conversations in academic settings when in smaller groups. Men did the most talking in large groups. Source Link

February 19, 2015

Are you ready for an iCar? Apple reportedly has a secret project in the works that aims to develop an electric car that would look like a minivan and be branded as an Apple product. The design team includes people who have created concept cars for the Big Three American automakers. Source Link
 
You might be able measure another benefit to drinking red wine every time you step on the scale. A study found that acids in red wine have the power to delay the growth of fat cells and slow the development of new ones. But before you pop another cork, researchers say you could get the same benefit simply by eating red grapes. Source Link

Bumper-to-bumper traffic may be the death of you, but maybe not the way you think. A study found that as much as a quarter of your exposure to dangerous air pollutants occurs in the time you spend stopped at intersections. Air pollution is considered one of the top 10 biggest risks to human health and is linked to liver damage and cancer. Source Link

February 18, 2015

Your Facebook persona could live longer than you with help from a high-tech executor. Facebook is now allowing users to let another person to manage your Facebook page after your death. The so-called “legacy contact” cannot post as you, but can add new friends and download a file containing an account's photos, posts, and other information. Source Link

Can a quick catnap make up for a night of poor sleep? Researchers found that a 30-minute nap appeared to restore hormones and proteins involved in stress and immune function. The findings could be good news for chronically sleep-deprived populations, such as overnight and shift workers. Source Link

More people are using yoga to help mind and body. A new government survey found that one-in-ten American adults say they’ve tried Eastern meditative exercises. And the percentage of seniors using yoga has tripled since the last survey a decade ago. Source Link

February 17, 2015

You may want to be careful when prescribing yourself a dose of “retail therapy” to soothe the sting of disappointment. A study found that the gift you buy to ease that psychic pain could actually haunt you. Researchers said people were reminded of their loss or failure each time they saw that item. Source Link

Here’s something worth remembering -- researchers say drinking red wine may help prevent memory loss. The same antioxidant found in red grapes that promotes heart health may also have positive effects on the part of the brain that controls mood, learning and memory, opening the way to possible treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s. Source Link

Police in some of America’s major cities have found a built-in solution to the problem of cellphone theft. They say iPhone thefts have dropped by up to 40-percent since Apple introduced a feature that requires your ID and password before an iPhone can be erased and reactivated. Google has a similar feature in its latest version of Android. Source Link

February 16, 2015

Remember all that advice to avoid foods high in cholesterol? Well, you might be able to forget it. A government health board wants to remove the warning from the next edition of its official guidelines. They say diet influences only about 20 percent of a person's blood cholesterol levels. and the rest is governed by genetics. Source Link

The Apple iWatch will be a high-tech nag that coaxes you into better health. Apple CEO Tim Cook says the smartwatch can vibrate once an hour to remind you to stand up if you’ve been sitting too long. Cook says many at Apple are already wearing the iWatch and stand-up meetings are becoming common. Source Link 

How much do some people hate taking pills? A new survey found that one out of three middle-aged adults would accept a shorter life rather than take a daily pill to prevent heart disease. Doctors often struggle with the fact that a certain number of patients are not going to take the drugs that would save their lives. Source Link

February 13, 2015

If you’re just thinking about a Valentine’s Day gift now, you’ve probably been part of a couple for some time. A survey showed that half of people who were together for less than five years spent a full month planning Valentine’s gifts and fiances fared better than wives when it came to spending on the day that’s made for lovers. Source Link

Americans are confused about what causes cancer. A national survey found less than half of people knew that lifestyle choices like eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight can affect your cancer risk. But more than half thought that psychological stress, genetically modified foods, and food additives raise people's cancer risk. Source Link

So how did Friday the 13th become such an unlucky day? Fridays got a bad rap for Christians because of Good Friday and the crucifixion of Jesus and 13 has been an unlucky number dating back thousands of years. This year, you’ll have three days to step carefully, with a Friday the 13th in February, March and October. Source Link

February 12, 2015

How much is too much exercise? A study found that runners who hit the pavement for four hours weekly had a shorter lifespan than those who ran for two-and-a-half hours a week. The most intense runners ended up with a risk of dying that was similar to that of those who opted to stay on the couch. Source Link

A new federal law has taken effect that unshackles your cellphone from your carrier. The four biggest providers are now required to unlock your phone if you’re no longer under contract and not making payments on the device. Unlocking makes it easier for consumers to keep their phone for use with another service. Source Link

The experts say it may take less shut-eye for your child to get  a good night’s sleep. New guidelines set 11 hours as the minimum for toddlers, 10 hours for pre-schoolers, 9 hours for school-age kids and eight-and-a-half hours for teenagers. The changes were based on a review of over 300 studies. Source Link

February 11, 2015

Helicopter moms may want to ground themselves by the time their kids are toddlers if they want a better parent-child relationship. A study found that mothers who allowed children more freedom from age 2 were viewed more positively by their kids as they grew up. Children were observed at age 2 and then interviewed in fifth grade to find out how they felt about their mothers. Source Link

When it comes to keeping our roads safer, there’s good news and some that’s troubling, too. A government report says drunk driving has declined by nearly one-third since 2007, but there’s been a large increase in drivers using marijuana and other illegal drugs. One-in-five drivers tested positive for drugs in roadside surveys. Source Link

Here’s one way to never forget the key or employee ID that you use to get into the office. A Swedish company is offering workers the option to have a microchip implanted in their hand that opens doors. The tiny chip costs $300 and the implant process is no more painful than getting a vaccination shot. Source Link

February 10, 2015

What do sheep have to do with making America’s favorite sport safer? Experts say a better football helmet could be a softer one, like the horns of a ram that are made of the same natural polymer found in our fingernails. Because it’s soft and stretchy, keratin can absorb the shock of a head-to-head strike between two animals without knocking them out. Source Link

“Take 10 episodes and call me in the morning” could be a prescription for beating the blues. A study found that people admitted to binge-watching TV shows when they were down in the dumps. Viewing a number of episodes of a favorite show had a calming effect for some people. Source Link

The phablet isn’t so fabulous for sales of tablets. For the first time, tablet computer sales have gone down in a year-to-year comparison. Experts are blaming the popularity of larger phones like the iPhone Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note and the fact that consumers don’t upgrade their tablet as often as they do their smartphone. Source Link

February 9, 2015

Are we raising a “Generation No Zs” who are losing sleep over their electronic gadgets? A study of teenagers found that daytime screen use of more than 4 hours was associated with a higher risk of taking longer than 60 minutes to fall asleep. Researchers say kids may be overstimulated or may be using the devices too close to bedtime. Source Link

The head of the Federal Communications Commission wants to ensure that there are no fast lanes or slow lanes on the information superhighway. His proposal to regulate Internet services like a public utility would prevent wired or wireless carriers from giving preference to any website or service. Internet providers say the move could stifle innovation. Source Link

What’s the most stressful thing in your life? A new poll showed that money worries are tops for most people, affecting six out of ten of those surveyed, followed by work, family responsibilities and health. The good news is that the average stress level dropped since the last survey in 2007. Source Link

February 6, 2015

Too much added salt and sugar in their food could give toddlers a taste for what leads to obesity. The CDC is warning parents that many dinners, cereal bars and breakfast foods made for toddlers contain too much salt and sugar. One in four children between the ages of 2 and 5 are overweight or obese. Source Link

You can take a few tips from your own winter wardrobe and bundle up your smartphone to keep it powered up in frigid weather. Batteries don’t work as well in the cold, so carry your phone close to you in a pants pocket or inside a coat for more warmth. And avoid taking it out in really cold air to get the most life from the battery. Source Link

If you’re planning what to give your love for Valentine’s Day, here’s what’s popular this year. The National Retail Federation says 50-percent of those surveyed will be giving candy, while one-third will buy flowers or plan a special evening out, and 20-percent will buy jewelry. And one in five people will treat their four-legged love with a Valentine’s Day gift for their dog or cat. Source Link

February 5, 2015

An investigation by New York’s Attorney General found that four out of five storebrand herbal supplements did not contain any of the herbs on their labels.  The probe of Target, Walgreens, GNC and Walmart stores showed the pills contained fillers such as powdered rice, asparagus and houseplants, and some had wheat products that could cause allergic reactions. Source Link

That third cocktail or beer could put you on the path to an early stroke. That’s according to a long-term study looking at drinking habits and stroke. Researchers said three alcoholic drinks a day was a higher risk factor for stroke than high blood pressure or diabetes for people in their 50s and 60s. Source Link

Samsung’s next version of its flagship smartphone may buck the trend of bigger is better. Reports say the Galaxy S6 could have a 5-inch screen that’s a tenth of an inch smaller than the current S5 model, but the phone itself won’t shrink in size. Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S6 next month. Source Link

February 4, 2015

Your nose knows it’s winter and you can help it weather the season when nosebleeds are more common. Cold winter air and dry heated indoor air can both cause blood vessels in the nose to break. Using a humidifier in your bedroom can give your nose a good night’s rest from the irritations that can cause a nosebleed. Source Link

Kids who play football in elementary school may pay a price later in life. A study looked at the cognitive abilities of NFL players and found those who started playing football before age 12 had more problems with memory and solving simple problems. Researchers say young players who never suffer a concussion could still sustain some brain damage. Source Link

A popular traffic app has some law enforcement officials upset that it makes it harder to nab speeders. A feature of the Waze app from Google lets users mark locations where police cars are parked. But Google defends the app by saying that most people drive more carefully when they believe law enforcement is nearby. Source Link

February 3, 2015

Which cars are the safest to drive? A new report says nine models recorded zero driver fatalities nationwide in a year. The list includes SUVs from Kia, Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes Benz, and Volvo, along with the Honda odyssey minivan, the Audi A4 and the 4-wheel drive Subaru Legacy. Source Link

Being an optimist might be good for your heart. A study found that people who reported the highest levels of optimism had twice the odds of being in ideal cardiovascular health. Optimists had better blood sugar and cholesterol levels, were more physically active with a healthier weight, and had lower rates of smoking. Source Link

When you’re trying to beat that winter chill, think warm hands and feet. Experts say you’ll feel colder all over if your hands and feet are cold, so warm socks and good gloves are a must. And do just sit there feeling cold, because movement increases blood flow, and that will warm you up. Source Link

February 2, 2015

If you think you can’t get benefits from exercise without doing it for 30 minutes a day, think again. Experts say people just getting started should focus on small increases in activity, like more walking. Establishing a routine can help you build your exercise level. Source Link

The solution to avoiding a winter cold could be in the palm of your hand. Health officials say many people can carry around germs on their winter gloves from sneezing. They suggest washing gloves regularly to rid them of any cold or flu bugs. Source Link

The countdown to the Apple Watch is on. The company says the long-awaited smart watch will debut in April. Reports say the Apple Watch could run for about one day between recharges but might only have about three hours of battery life in heavy use with games or other apps. Source Link