February 28, 2017

When you’ve got a gripe with a utility, a retailer or a brand, social media could be the fast lane to better customer service. Many companies monitor Twitter and Facebook, so hashtag their name and state your complaint in detail but without personal information and include photos if possible. Experts say after regular business hours might be the best time to get some attention online. Source Link
 
The baby blues aren’t just for mommies. Many new dads may not realize pregnancy-linked depression can hit them too. A study found that men who felt stressed or who were in relatively poor physical health were more prone to depression in the late stages of pregnancy and after their child is born. Source Link
 
Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday” but what does that have to do with the start of the Christian season of Lent? The tradition calls for a final celebration with food and drink on the eve of Ash Wednesday and in olden days that meant finishing up all of the fat used for cooking, thus the name “Fat Tuesday.” Source Link

February 27, 2017

When you want to begin your workday right, avoid the urge to multitask. Experts say testing has shown that trying to tackle several things at once right off the bat can set you back for the rest of the day. And don’t start with small talk that can derail your focus on the important tasks at the beginning of your work day. Source Link
 
Friendly competition may work better than simple encouragement to get you back into the gym. A study using Facebook groups showed better results when members challenged each other to raise their performance. Supportive groups can backfire because they draw attention to members who are less active and create a downward spiral of participation. Source Link
 
Health problems associated with e-cigarettes are nothing to smile about. That’s because studies show that the chemicals in vapor from an e-cigarette could be harmful to your gums and teeth. E-cigarettes also contain nicotine, which is known to contribute to gum disease. Source Link

February 24, 2017

Moms who are battling to lose that baby weight may not have pregnancy to blame. A study found that a mother’s weight gain was faster after her child’s birth. One theory is that moms put the needs of their children ahead of healthy habits like exercise and may spend more time sitting with a child while reading or watching a movie. Source Link
 
A twist on the traditional fast may help keep your heart young. Researchers found that a periodic fasting diet can lead to weight loss that reduces cardiovascular risk factors. The “fast-mimicking” diet restricts you to about 1,000 calories a day for five-day period once a month. Source Link 
 
What’s the formula for winning an Academy award as Best Actor? Make it All-American. A study of past winners found that American actors in films that portrayed American life were most likely to take home the Oscar. Two of this year’s five nominees -- Denzel Washington in “Fences” and Casey Affleck in “Manchester by the Sea” -- are American actors in films about American life. Source Link

February 23, 2017

If you’re planning to get allergy shots to beat hay fever you may need to be really patient. A study found that it took three years of treatments for immunotherapy to be effective. About 15 percent of Americans have been diagnosed with hay fever and twice as many say they have symptoms like a runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing. Source Link
 
It’s a twist on the old suggestion to beat sleeplessness by counting sheep. Experts say if you suffer from insomnia caused by stress, try counting every in and out breath and count up as far as you can. Another technique to get back to sleep is to stare at a point on the wall until your eyelids get so heavy you have to close them. Source Link
 
Those new voice command helpers like Amazon Echo and Google Home need an assist to double as an emergency alert device for seniors. Neither recognize “Help, I’ve fallen” but a free add-on from AskMyBuddy.net lets you call or text for help to anyone on your contact list with the command, “Ask My Buddy.” Source Link

February 22, 2017

Is that morning wake-me-up or afternoon beverage break adding to your waistline? A study found that flavorings, cream and sugar in coffee and tea can make a difference when counting those calories. Drinkers who added plenty of fat and sugar to their coffee or tea could add up to 10 pounds a year in weight. Source Link
 
Grocery shopping in full color may be your first step toward a healthier heart. Choose foods with lots of natural color by starting in the produce section to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid white breads, white potatoes and white rice and check labels for added sodium and sugar that can be found in many processed foods. Source Link
 
Imagine if your glasses could adjust focus as fast as your eyes to keep everything instantly sharp. A new kind of eyewear uses an infrared sensor to measure distance and liquid lenses that can change focus in a fraction of a second. The smart glasses could be available to the public in a few years. Source Link

February 21, 2017

Getting kids to eat their veggies starts long before they’re eating anything. Nutrition experts say moms can help develop that taste by eating vegetables during pregnancy. Model good habits for infants and toddlers by eating the same vegetables they do during a meal. And kindergartners can help in the kitchen to see how vegetables are an important part of a meal. Source Link
 
People who say “I do” amid an expensive wedding may not stay together till death do they part. A study found that couples whose weddings cost more than $20,000 were almost twice as likely to divorce compared to those who spent less than $10,000. Researchers think spending less on your big day might lead to less marital strife over money. Source Link
 
So which Monopoly piece didn’t make the cut in a public vote to see what stays in the game? The thimble got stuck in last place and will be dropped when the next edition of Monopoly debuts. It’s the second household item game piece to get the boot after the iron that was discontinued in 2013. Source Link

February 20, 2017

Could baby aspirin help you have a baby? Researchers say taking a low-dose aspirin each day helped some women have a successful pregnancy by reducing inflammation in the body. The study results are promising but doctors aren’t ready just yet to recommend an aspirin regimen for pregnant women. Source Link
 
If cereal, eggs or oatmeal don’t sound good for breakfast, you can mix it up with that first meal of the day. Nutrition experts suggest leftover veggie pizza or peanut butter and sliced bananas on whole wheat toast. Or roll up a tortilla with sliced turkey, lettuce and low-fat cheese for a homemade grab-and-go breakfast. Source Link

Cheating among couples is fairly common when it comes to matters of love of a favorite TV show. Netflix says 46 percent of subscribers have watched an episode ahead of their partner and eight out of ten are repeat offenders. Most of the cheaters said they know it’s wrong but the shows are so good they couldn’t stop themselves from binge-watching. Source Link

February 17, 2017

If your New Year’s resolutions are starting to lag, the solution might be to sleep on it. Experts say adequate sleep is key to healthier eating, getting more exercise, quitting smoking, or improving relationships. Go to bed at the same time each evening and aim for seven or eight hours of sleep in a dark bedroom without any direct glow from electronics or clocks. Source Link
 
What’s an eating plan that’s good for your heart? Spread out your meals and get more of your calories earlier in the day. The American Heart Association says there isn’t proof that eating breakfast is an absolute must but you should hydrate yourself first thing in the morning. Coffee counts but the better choice is a glass of water. Source Link
 
It’s a wearable way to let you know when one more drink is one too many. The new Proof wristband monitors blood alcohol and can alert you when you’ve reached pre-selected levels. The makers say the Proof can even tell you how long it’ll take to sober up based on how much you drank. Source Link

February 16, 2017

It’s one pregnancy craving you’ll want to avoid. A study found that women who ate licorice while pregnant had children who scored lower on IQ tests. Licorice contains a sweetener that’s known to increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol and that may affect development of the fetal nervous system. Source Link
 
Just because you don’t work in a noisy environment doesn’t mean your hearing is safe. A new report says the noise of modern life causes permanent hearing damage to many adults who don't even suspect they've experienced a loss. Everyday noises like leaf blowers, loud traffic or music played through earbuds are to blame in half of all cases of hearing loss. Source Link
 
The world’s first certified commercial flying car is about to take off. The PAL-V Liberty is a three-wheeled car with a retractable top-mounted rotor for flying. The makers of the Liberty are taking deposits now, but this isn’t what you’d call affordable transportation. The base model will be priced at $400,000. Source Link

February 15, 2017

If someone’s loud eating sets your teeth on edge, there’s a scientific reason why.  It’s called misophonia and researchers found a part of the brain that goes into overdrive when some people hear loud chewing, slurping soup or even repeated pen clicks. The condition was identified over a decade ago but this is the first evidence to explain why it happens. Source Link
 
As baseball spring training gets underway, fans of the Dodgers, Giants, A’s, Angels and Mariners should be dreading those long road trips to come. A look at 20 years of Major League games found that jet lag significantly affects player performance, especially when it’s travel from west to east. Base runners were slower and pitchers gave up more runs. Source Link
 
It’s like a swear jar for your personal finances and it could be an easy way to save more. Testing showed that people were able to sock away more money by paying for their own bad habits. The testers set aside a dollar in savings for every dollar spent on indulgences like alcohol and fast food. Source Link

February 14, 2017

Apple may build a new Phone that lets you cut the charging cord and charge you more for it. A report says wireless charging is being added to the 10th anniversary iPhone coming this fall. Analysts say new features like wireless charging could boost the base price of the next iPhone to $800 or more. Source Link
 
Women who enter puberty earlier and don’t have children are more likely to experience early menopause. An international study found that when puberty began at age 11 or earlier it boosted the odds of menopause starting before age 44. And those women who didn’t have children had an even higher chance for early menopause. Source Link
 
So why do we exchange love notes on February 14th and call them Valentines? St. Valentine was a priest in third-century Rome who was arrested for secretly performing marriages. He was sentenced to death but fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and sent her a love letter signed “from your Valentine” the day he was executed on February 14th. Source Link

February 13, 2017

Maybe you shouldn’t reach for over-the-counter relief for your back pain. A new review of previous studies found that painkillers like aspirin, Aleve, Advil and Tylenol don't help most people with short-term back pain. Experts say massage, yoga or simple stretching exercises could provide more relief for that aching back. Source Link
 
If you’re ready to make the switch to whole grains be sure you’re getting all you want. Many foods that are labeled “made with whole grains” or “multigrain” could be using a tiny percentage of whole grains while the rest is refined flour. Only foods labeled “100% whole grains” use just that. Source Link
 
You can dress down and go casual when that’s all you need, so why not do the same with your phone? The new credit-card sized Light Phone only takes and makes calls by using call forwarding from your smartphone. The Light Phone is priced at $150 and unlimited nationwide service will be $5 a month. Source Link

February 10, 2017

Now when you want to know what side eye, ghosting or throwing shade is, you can go to the dictionary. They’re among 1,000 words added to the latest edition of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Other new words getting an official dictionary debut include airball, truther, botnet and binge-watch. Source Link
 
Here’s why the HPV vaccine is important for boys and girls. A study found that nearly half of adult men are infected with HPV, which can cause cervical and oral cancer. The good news is that the infection rate is lower in the age group of younger men who were the first to be vaccinated against HPV. Source Link
 
Don’t be too quick to file away that credit card statement. Experts say now is the time when fraudulent purchases from the holiday season might show up in your account. The days right around Christmas Eve were prime time for cyber-thieves who used stolen card numbers to make online purchases for store pickup. Source Link

February 9, 2017

The people who run America’s youth football leagues want to address concerns about injuries.  Football USA will be testing a new version that reduces the number of players, shortens the field, eliminates kickoffs and punts and bans the three-point stance on the line. Participation in youth football has dropped 20-percent since 2009. Source Link
 
So when’s the best time to get a great price on this year’s summer vacation airfares? Maybe just after the Easter Bunny comes hopping in. An online tool from Cheapair.com analyzed over a billion airfares and lets you enter your destination point to find the number of days before departure when airfares are typically the cheapest. Source Link
 
If those vente vanilla lattes are starting to show up on your hips there’s a simple first step to kicking the flavored coffee habit. Nutrition experts suggest you order your coffee drink unsweetened and add your own sugar to see just how much you’re using. Lots of sugar in morning drinks can increase food cravings and lead to poor eating all day long. Source Link

February 8, 2017

You can file your taxes using a computer, but what if the computer could do it for you? That’s the concept behind a new partnership between H&R Block and IBM. Block’s tax preparers will be using IBM’s Watson supercomputer to answer questions about taxes. Watson has been trained on how to apply 74,000 pages of U.S. tax code to find more deductions. Source Link
 
Want to help keep your older parents out of the hospital? Have them stick with the same doctor. A study found that people who kept the same doctor for many years had fewer hospital admissions. Experts say patients and doctors form a trusting relationship that can lead to a better understanding of health problems and more appropriate care. Source Link
 
Is fluorine in your fast-food wrapper the next BPA controversy? A study found the cancer-linked chemical in the grease-resistant paper used to wrap many fast food items. The food industry claims the fluorine that was found isn’t the dangerous kind. Like the banning of BPA in plastics, critics say it may take a public outcry to bring attention to the issue. Source Link

February 7, 2017

America’s pediatricians say it might not be wise to outfit your infant in "smart" clothing. The new class of babywear features electronic sensors that report breathing, pulse and oxygen levels to your smartphone. Doctors say frequent false alarms are hard on parents and might lead to unnecessary testing for babies. Source Link

There’s another alternative to the expensive EpiPen and you’re sure to like the price. The makers of the Auvi-Q adrenaline auto-injector say there will be no out-of-pocket cost for patients who have health insurance. The makers of the EpiPen came under fire last year for hiking prices for their injector that’s used to quickly stop life-threatening allergic reactions. Source Link
 
You want to use unique and strong passwords for online accounts, but how can you remember all of them? Security experts say your web browser can help by storing those passwords and inserting them automatically when you visit a site. Browsers like Firefox and Google Chrome let you access those passwords on your laptop, tablet or smartphone. Source Link

February 6, 2017

Figuring out the screen time that’s right for youngsters is getting an online assist. The heathychildren.org website from the American Academy of Pediatrics has a tool to formulate a family media plan. You enter information about children’s ages, the number of screens at home, the type of content, times of the day and any curfews for using phones, tablets, laptops or TVs. Source Link
 
When it comes to sounds that disturb you at work, man-made devices are no match for man himself. Three out of four workers deal with noise pollution on the job and say the worst is loud conversations in open offices. Experts suggest getting rid of cubicle walls  because chatty workers will be more aware that they’re in the open. Source Link
 
Hard partying in your youth could come back to haunt your health even if you cleaned up your act years ago. That’s what researchers found when they looked at records of men who came of age a half-century ago. Those who were alcohol dependent in young adulthood had more major health problems later in life. Source Link

February 3, 2017

Why encourage your teenager to eat healthy now ? Because it could help them keep the weight off as adults. Researchers found that teenagers who ate more fruits and vegetables and less red meat and processed foods were less likely to be obese as adults. It’s believed that eating habits formed in our teen years become the pattern for adulthood. Source Link
 
You’re not a morning person, so how can you make wake-up time less of a chore? Experts say you can start the night before by choosing the clothes you’ll wear and getting the tools of the workday such as laptops or paperwork ready to go. Set your alarm to a motivating ringtone and head to sleep visualizing yourself having a successful day. Source Link
 
Even after you kick the habit, the effects of cigarette smoking can linger for a long time. A study found that toxins from tobacco smoke persist in a home for at least six months after you quit and remain a threat to nonsmoking residents. So-called “thirdhand smoke” particles get into carpets, wallpaper, ceiling tiles, upholstery, clothes, blankets and pillows. Source Link

February 2, 2017

Secondhand smoke is a danger to everyone in the home, including the four-legged members of the family. Dogs and cats spend a lot of time on or near the floor, where tobacco smoke residue concentrates in house dust, carpets and rugs. Veterinarians say certain dog breeds are at increased risk for nose and lung cancer. Source Link
 
A yoga session or an aerobic workout could be good for mind and body, but they may not help menopausal women get more sleep. A new look at a previous study found no real improvements in sleep for women who did yoga or moderate exercise. Experts say cognitive behavioral therapy might help women suffering from too little sleep. Source Link
 
It’s one of the most watched and least accurate weather forecasts of the year. The prognostications of Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day are said to predict how long winter will last, but don’t count on it. The famous rodent has seen his shadow 87-percent of the time but his forecasts have been correct only 39-percent of the time. Source Link

February 1, 2017

Can you fight cancer with help from your smartphone? A study found that people who used smartphone reminders to get out of their seats and take a short walk throughout the day reduced their risk for cancer. Inactivity increases the risk of overweight and obesity and has been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Source Link
 
America’s sweet tooth is still going strong in the soda aisle. After a decade of falling soft-drink consumption, a CDC report says rates have stalled at well above the recommended limit of one sugar-sweetened drink per week for children. The survey found that two-thirds of kids drink sugary beverages on a daily basis. Source Link
 
There may be a flip side to those warnings about the dangers of too much screen time for your kids. A British study found a digital "sweet spot" that might benefit teens by allowing them to develop social connections and personal skills and relieve stress. That might be two hours of video gaming or smartphone use or four hours of videos per day. Source Link