Trying to shed a few pounds? It’ll be easier to skip high-calorie treats when you carry a photo of a new swimsuit or dress you want to fit into and look at it whenever cravings strike. A new University of Texas at Austin study shows that having a strong reminder of the long-term benefits of not giving in to temptation—such as fitting into a smaller size—makes it significantly easier to stick to a diet plan since folks tend to focus on the short-term benefits of giving in—such as how good the treat will taste.
[photo: Alaskan Dude]
Quick—which do you think is the most common cause of tooth sensitivity, making over 40 million Americans wince in pain when their teeth come in contact with hot, cold, sweet, sour and open air:
Tired of nutrition claims on the front of food packages or store shelf signs that are hard to decipher because of non-specific statements or symbols (for instance, indicating the food is “natural”, “low-fat” or “a good source of fiber”) or misleading information (for instance, foods that are labeled “zero trans fat”, but still contain up to .5 grams of trans fat per serving)? The Food and Drug Administration is asking you to help them improve this kind of confusing and deceptive nutrition information by telling them what you’d change or keep about front-of-package and store shelf labels, plus how you notice and use them.
The easiest one! It doesn’t matter which weight-loss plan you choose—Zone, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, etc.—so long as it’s one that you find easy to stick to. You’ll lose twice as much weight on it as someone who’s trying to shed pounds on a diet they don’t like, reveals a study out of Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston. So, ignore what works for your friends and family and pick the diet plan you prefer the most.
Next time you’re shopping for cereal, crackers, cookies and other foods for your child, take a closer look at the nutrition label if the package is adorned with a cartoon character, celebrity or offer of a free toy or other giveaway. In a recent Yale University study, a whopping 82% of foods with promotions like these failed to meet accepted nutrition standards for children by limiting sugar, salt and/or saturated fat.
Next time you twist your ankle, have menstrual cramps or are suffering another type of discomfort, try breathing slowly. Study volunteers who took in 50% fewer breaths per minute experienced significantly less pain when heat was applied to their palms than when they breathed normally, reports the journal PAIN. Research shows that breathing slow relaxes tense muscles and relieves anxiety—two factors that make pain sensations more intense.
Love flowers, shrubs and trees, but steer clear of them because they trigger itchy, watery eyes and a runny nose? Good news: It’s easy to plant a colorful garden that doesn’t emit annoying allergens, says Thomas Leo Ogren, author of Allergy-Free Gardening. Start with…
Now that your feet are on display in sandals and open-toe pumps, you’re probably getting more pedicures so they look their very best. Whether you do your pedicures yourself or get them done professionally at a salon, the American Podiatric Medical Association points out important ways to keep your feet safe from harmful infections they can cause:
Stick with a proper measuring tool—such as a measuring cap, dropper, dosing spoon or syringe—not a kitchen spoon. When former cold and flu sufferers were asked to pour one teaspoon of an over-the-counter syrup into a medium-sized kitchen spoon, most poured about 8% too little—and when using a larger kitchen spoon, they poured about 12% too much, reports the Annals of Internal Medicine. These miscalculations may not sound like a lot, but they can make a big difference. Even just a bit too little can make many medications ineffective, and, over several days, a tad too much might cause a dangerous overdose.
Whether they’re riding bikes together, trying on makeup or just talking, a new University at Buffalo study shows that any time spent with pals distracts tweens and teens from eating out of boredom, a chief cause of childhood obesity.
Want your partner to adopt a healthier lifestyle—such as doing more exercise or getting his or her blood pressure checked—without having to nag? Simply adopt these healthy habits first—your sweetie will likely follow, according to a recent study in the journal Health Services Research. In fact, this follow-me technique is so effective, the researchers found it works for even on hard-to-reach health goals, like quitting smoking and drinking.