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You can do your part to stop Russian hackers by simply unplugging your router and then plugging it back in. That step could stop hundreds of thousands of routers from using malware that’s been embedded by hackers whose website was seized by the FBI. It’s also a good idea to change your router password and update the firmware. Source Link
Burning the midnight oil is really rough on you. Being a night owl can lead to higher blood pressure, make exercise more difficult, promote late-night eating that packs on the pounds and can increase your risk of diabetes. And night owls are more tired and less alert on their morning commute and that can lead to more accidents. Source Link
Looking for even better deals from discount air carriers? Southwest will refund the difference if your ticket goes down in price after your purchase and before the flight. Rock-bottom ticket prices on Spirit Airlines can be $20 cheaper if you buy at the airport and you can get more reward points by linking your JetBlue and Lyft accounts. Source Link
If you want to look cool, try cracking a smile. Testing found that people thought models who were smiling in clothing ads were cooler than those with a blank expression. Researchers say your look can influence the way we communicate with others and being inexpressive can hurt relationships. Source Link
The sandwich is a lunchtime classic, but what if you want to skip those two slices of bread? Try wrapping ingredients in a whole-grain pita or tortilla or lettuce leaves. Scoop the seeds out of a cucumber, zucchini, tomato or bell pepper and stuff with a salad mix or pack hard-boiled egg whites with cubes of meat. Source Link
You can’t pop a pill to fight the effects of the sun on your skin and the FDA is telling makers of dietary supplements to stop with those claims. Some proven ways to protect your skin from harmful UV rays include using plenty of sunscreen, wearing a hat that covers your face and neck and avoiding the midday sun. Source Link
Teething is a normal part of childhood and doesn’t need medicines to cure it. The Food and Drug Administration is asking manufacturers and retailers to stop selling baby teething products with benzocaine that can cause rare but deadly side effects in children. Benzocaine is the pain-numbing ingredient in products like Orajel and Anbesol. Source Link
A morning routine can help you have a better day. Experts say doing something routinely after you wake up calms the decision-making part of your brain that also controls anxiety. Your routine could be eating the same thing for breakfast or waking up, exercising or walking the dog at the same time every day. Source Link
Packing the right accessories can keep your phone powered-up to get all those vacation photos. Bring along a backup battery and three power cables - one to keep at the hotel, one with the backup battery and another to charge the battery pack. And use a multi-port charger so you can recharge the phone and backup battery at the same time. Source Link
You might want to ask your pharmacist if it’s cheaper to buy that generic drug without using insurance. That’s because some of that co-pay money may be returned to your insurer. Generic drugs might be cheaper to buy yourself but many pharmacies are prohibited from telling you that unless you ask. Source Link
A new exercise regimen can be a real pain but that’s to be expected. Experts say soreness after a workout isn’t usually a problem unless it’s focused on one side of the body or lasts more than a few days. And watch out for a darker or brown color in urine that could be a warning sign of dangerous muscle breakdown caused by over-exercising. Source Link
Streaming services that let you watch live TV, movies and gaming are the most popular, but the folks who pipe that programming into your home? Not so much. A national customer satisfaction survey found that Netflix, Sony PlayStation Vue and Amazon’s Twitch gaming service scored the highest while Internet service providers and cable TV were near the bottom. Source Link
Could genetic testing help you battle depression? A study found that people who used a special genetic test to pinpoint the right antidepressant were 50 percent more likely to achieve remission after eight weeks. The GeneSight test looks for things in your genetic makeup that might prevent a particular drug from working. Source Link
The 20/4/10 rule can show how much car you can afford. If you make a 20 percent down payment and take out a four-year loan, your monthly car expenses should be no more than 10 percent of your monthly gross income. That total includes the loan payment and cost of gas and auto insurance. Source Link
America is becoming a land of voluntary shut-ins as a new survey says one in four people typically spend almost 24 hours a day indoors. The habit may have health implications because indoor air can be more polluted. Experts say if you’re indoors a lot you should avoid burning candles, use a fan when cooking and open windows a few times a day to get fresh air. Source Link
Your OB/GYN should have a heart when you’re in for that next check-up. New guidance suggests that women’s health providers should include a heart disease risk assessment. Experts say women’s care goes far beyond reproductive health and providers are in a unique position to screen, counsel and educate patients on heart health. Source Link
If you want to be happier on the job you can start by getting out of your seat. Poor sitting posture can put you in a lousy mood and make you feel more stressed and depressed. Just like Mom said you should sit up straight to avoid being hunched over and get on your feet as often as possible. Source Link
Looking for a phone that matches the iPhone X in almost everything but price? The new OnePlus 6 features gesture control, facial recognition and dual-rear cameras and a front that’s almost all screen. The OnePlus 6 has a $529 price tag that’s only about about half of what you’ll pay for an iPhone X. Source Link
It takes just a quarter-hour and could make the world more healthy. Research found that children who take a 15-minute break from class to do physical activity improve fitness, body composition and activity levels. One method called “The Daily Mile” has children walk one mile in 15 minutes on a course around their school. Source Link
Being able to afford your own home isn’t an impossible dream for young people. A survey found a majority of Millennial home buyers had been saving for a down payment for less than one year. Experts say many first-time home buyers can take advantage of state and federal programs that allow for lower down payments. Source Link
If you want to track your fitness but don’t want to wear a watch or wristband, how about a smart ring? Models ranging from $100 to $200 work with your smartphone to track steps, heart rate and sleep. Some can change color to indicate an incoming message or even send an S.O.S. text and your GPS coordinates with a few taps. Source Link
How can you keep a social media life from interfering with your work world? Experts suggest using automation tools to write posts on your own time and schedule them for later publication. Have separate personal accounts that make it clear you’re not speaking for the company and remember that any post can be set for friends-only viewing. Source Link
The remedy for the effects of a chronic illness might be exercise. Someone with heart disease can benefit from aerobics and interval training and exercise can help control asthma attacks. A workout can strengthen muscles that support joints and ease arthritis pain and exercise can help someone with diabetes lower their blood sugar level. Source Link
The tradition of bringing a casserole help a neighbor in need has gone high-tech. Online services like Meal Train and Lotsahelpinghands.com make it easy to coordinate and schedule volunteers who can provide meals. Developers say it’s not just for after a birth or a death because the services can also help people who are home caregivers. Source Link
If you’re ready to start a family you might want to do more shopping in the produce section and avoid the drive-thru. A study found that women who rarely ate fruit took longer to get pregnant that those who had several servings of fruit each day. Frequent fast food meals were also common for women who took longer to get pregnant. Source Link
Can you improve comprehension by taking 10 after a lesson? Researchers found that people who rested quietly for 10 minutes after learning something improved their ability to remember fine details. Sleep relaxes the synapses in your brain to improve neuroplasticity that’s necessary to build memory. Source Link
It’s a brick-and-mortar shot across the bow of the online behemoth. Target is going nationwide with its Restock service that lets you order any of 35,000 household items for next-day delivery for $2.99 and the service is free for Target Redcard holders. Amazon’s Pantry service charges $5.99 for shipping with four-day delivery. Source Link
Should a safety check be on your to-do list when you stay at an Airbnb? A study found that 80 percent of Airbnb rentals had smoke alarms but only about half had fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors or first-aid kits. Hotel safety requirements are often more strict than those for homes that rent for overnight stays. Source Link
You aren’t fooling your infant with that pretend baby talk. Researchers say five-month old babies spent 40 percent longer listening to sounds from other infants than to adults making the same sounds. But don’t stop with the “goo-goo, gaa-gaa” because the interaction builds your baby’s bond with you. Source Link
Retro gamers mark your calendars because Nintendo is bringing back the NES Classic Edition. The $60 console with 30 built-in games will hit stores on June 29th. The popular mini version of the 1980s game console sold out fast when it debuted in 2016. Source Link
It takes more than ultimatums to manage your kids screen time. Experts say you need to monitor with apps or in-person to know what they’re doing but also spend time together on that phone, tablet or TV and model good behavior yourself. Studies show most kids get about twice the screen time that parents estimate. Source Link
You may not like a seat kicker or that passenger who invades your personal space, but there’s one thing that tops the list of airflight no-no’s. A survey of travelers found that going barefoot is the number-one obnoxious habit on a plane. Nine out of ten people say they want to be left alone on a flight and 69 percent would rather sleep than talk to a seatmate. Source Link
The Social Security Administration's official list of most popular baby names for 2017 shows the same three-way race that’s been underway for several years with Emma, Olivia and Ava on top for girls and Liam, Noah and William for boys. The latest trendy choices from Nameberry.com include Cora and Amelia for girls and Atticus, Asher and Jack for boys. Source Link
When you get your first mammogram might affect what you’ll need to do if breast cancer strikes. A study found that earlier screening might translate into smaller tumors and less aggressive cancer treatments. Federal health guidelines call for a first mammogram at age 50 but the American Cancer Society advises that annual screenings begin at age 45. Source Link
It looks like teenagers are cutting back on sugary sodas in favor of sugary sports drinks. Researchers found that teens are downing more high-calorie sports drinks as their beverage of choice. Despite the marketing hype, experts say few people exercise hard enough to need the extra ingredients and all those calories in sports drinks. Source Link
Instead of FOMO - the fear of missing out - Google wants you to embrace JOMO - the joy of missing out. New Android features coming soon include a dashboard to help you track how long and how often you check your phone; an instant “do not disturb” mode when you place the phone face down and a night-time feature called “Wind Down” that turns the screen to gray tones. Source Link
Need a reason to eat more fish or cut back on the carbs? It could delay menopause. A long-term study found that women who ate more oily fish, fresh peas and green beans experienced menopause three years later than most but those who ate more refined carbs in breads, pastas and rice began menopause about a year earlier than average. Source Link
If you wash your dishes by hand it’s time for your tools to come clean. Experts say a damp sponge is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria so clean it regularly in a solution of bleach and water or put a wet sponge in the microwave to disinfect it. Better yet, try a plastic or silicone scrub brush that can dry out after every use. Source Link
Using a golf cart doesn’t really help your knees when you’re on the course. Researchers found the same levels of knee inflammation and cartilage stress in golfers who walked 18 holes and those who rode in a cart. The good news is that golfers using a cart still met the daily exercise recommendations for adults. Source Link
You could take five steps in middle age and gain another 10 years of life. A study found that a 50-year old might expect to live up to a decade longer if they don’t smoke, eat healthy, exercise regularly, maintain a normal weight and drink only in moderation. Some of the steps aren’t that difficult because exercising regularly would be just 30 minutes of brisk walking each day. Source Link
What’s the best way to wash fruits and vegetables? Smooth-skinned fruits like apples or pears can be rinsed with water and dried with a clean towel when you bring them home but other items should be washed just before eating to prevent bacteria growth. And submerging leafy vegetables in water might increase the risk of contamination. Source Link
Money talks when you want your teen to put away that phone while behind the wheel. In a survey, many teens who admit to texting while driving said they like the idea of a weekly cash reward or lower insurance premiums in return for not texting. More than half of American teens admit to texting while driving. Source Link
Eating by the numbers by counting calories just got easier. Chain restaurants are now required to post calorie information for all menu items under a provision of the Affordable Care Act. The calorie count rules also cover chain pizza shops, grocery store deli counters, convenience stores and movie theater concession stands. Source Link
Are you a fair weather Facebook friend? A study found that weather conditions may affect the tone of social media posts. Researchers say the temperature sweet spot for positive posts was between 68 and 86 degrees. Rainy, cloudy and high humidity days were when people were more likely to see negative posts. Source Link
You can recycle those leftover shipment boxes from Amazon and support a charity at the same time. Fill the box with clothing or shoes to donate to a charity and go to GiveBackBox.com to print a free UPS shipping label with free pickup. The service works with boxes from Amazon and several dozen others including Overstock, Newegg and Jet.com. Source Link
Can a new diet inprove your dental health? The Keto diet that cuts carbs could fight tooth decay because cavity causing bacteria are deprived of the sugar that feeds them. Intermittent fasting usually reduces unhealthy snacking that can promote cavities and a vegan diet might cut your risk of oral cancer. Source Link
Using lots of smartphone pictures to make your vacation memories might cause the real ones to fade away. Testing found that people who recorded their thoughts during an experience had less memory of it later. Experts say a focus on taking photos can change the way you experience an event and multitasking can interfere with memory. Source Link
If you don’t like web pages that automatically blast you with sound there’s help in the new version of Google Chrome The browser learns what kind of pages you mute and then applies those preferences to other sites. Developers say the new version of Chrome blocks about half of unwanted autoplays. Source Link
Alcohol may not be the only drink you need to avoid while pregnant. A study found that moms-to-be who consumed more sugar in soda had children with poorer learning and memory skills and drinking diet soda wasn’t much better. But those kids who ate more whole fruit had better visual motor abilities when young and better verbal intelligence in later childhood. Source Link
Need to know what tech skills are most likely to get you hired? LinkedIn looked at skills required in their job listings and found that cloud and distributed computing, statistical analysis and data mining and web architecture are in high demand. You can learn these tech skills and others with affordable online training from sites like Lynda.com, Coursera or EdX. Source Link
Microsoft wants to help you turn off the online distractions when you’re working at the computer. The latest Windows 10 update includes a “Focus Assist” feature that lets you temporarily switch off email and social media notifications. Research shows that it can take up to 23 minutes to get back in focus after a single interruption. Source Link
America’s OB/GYNs say it's time to start looking at pregnancy in four stages that include a longer period after the baby is born. The “fourth trimester” would be an ongoing process rather than a single visit with services and support tailored to each woman's individual needs. The aftercare would begin with a physical and psychological evaluation three weeks after the baby’s birth. Source Link
The younger generation is least likely to use unique passwords. A survey found that only a third of people under 45 don’t reuse passwords while 50 percent of older Americans are more careful. If you have trouble remembering it’s okay to write down your passwords but don’t keep the list near your computer or where someone else could easily find it. Source Link
There’s good news if you’re the person who’s always late because it could help you be more successful and live longer. Experts say people who are late because they try to do more in less time are optimists and often perfectionists and that’s good for productivity and success at work. And people who don’t worry about being late can avoid the health issues that come with too much stress. Source Link
Facebook is ready to play matchmaker if you want to be more than just friends. The world’s largest social network will offer an online dating service for the more than 200 million members who identify themselves as single. The dating feature would use its own messaging channel and personal information separate from what’s shared with Facebook friends. Source Link
You probably don’t need prescription pain relievers after a visit to the dentist. A study found that over-the-counter medications like Advil, Motrin or Tylenol were more effective at relieving dental pain than opioids such as Vicodin or Oxycontin. Unused narcotics have been blamed for fueling the nation’s opioid epidemic. Source Link
“Text neck” is the pain that happens when you spend too much time staring down at a cellphone screen. You can remedy this by holding your phone just below eye level and taking breaks to stretch your neck, shoulders and back. You can also avoid eye strain that causes headaches by adjusting smartphone settings to improve brightness and use larger fonts. Source Link
When it comes to concussions in soccer, getting your head in the game may be more dangerous than collisions. A study found that players who headed the ball frequently did the worst on attention and memory tests. Researchers say soccer players should try to do less heading during practice and games. Source Link
Paying with a credit card is convenient but there are times when you should pass on pulling out the plastic. Experts say don’t use a credit card when purchasing something on a public computer, when making a charity donation on the street or when the card leaves your view to complete the purchase. And don’t use a credit card to buy something you can’t afford. Source Link
If you long for solitude in the workplace there are many jobs that might fit your style. Introverts can enjoy being a graphic designer, electrician, computer programmer or long-haul truck driver. Lab technician, paralegal, medical records technician and social media manager are other jobs that don’t require much face-to-face work. Source Link
You probably don’t need one of those cell phones marketed for seniors. An iPhone has accessibility options like closed captioning for some apps and a built-in magnifier that uses the phone’s camera. Android phones have similar functions and some offer an “Easy Mode” with a simpler home screen layout. Source Link
Many “healthy snacks” don’t live up to their name. Veggie chips can be heavy on starches and calories. Fruit snacks may be less fruit and more corn syrup, sugar and artificial flavors. And read the label on your trail mix to look out for sugary add-ins like candy or chocolate pieces. Source Link
Amazon wants to put some of their junk in your trunk. The online seller is offering to deliver packages to the trunk of your car. The service is available in about three dozen cities and is limited to 2015 or newer Volvos or GM models with OnStar that allows remote opening of a trunk. Source Link
Your Gmail is getting a new look and new features. The web version lets you see your Google Calendar alongside your emails, hit a Snooze button to set reminders for when to look at unopened mail and get suggestions for one-click Smart Replies. To use the new version, go to Settings and click on “Try the new Gmail.” Source Link
If hearing loss makes it harder to get the job done you can try these tips. Reduce room noise by placing a small rug under your chair and ask for a phone with closed captioning or increased volume capability. Consider using noise cancelling earbuds and ask for a copy of an agenda before a meeting and get meeting notes afterwards. Source Link
People who don’t skip breakfast might not have to worry as much when they step on the scale in years to come. A long-term study found that breakfast eaters had smaller waistlines and were less likely to be obese. And 12 years later the breakfast eaters gained only one-third of the weight that was put on by those who skipped breakfast. Source Link
