Friends don’t let friends drive hung over
Maybe you should get a designated driver – for the morning after, according to the June issue of Good Housekeeping. In a British study using a driving simulator, people who had drunk heavily the previous night drove 10 mph faster, switched lanes four times more often, and committed more than twice as many traffic violations as those who had not indulged. Overall, the drinkers were four times more dangerous than the non-drinkers, according to researchers at Brunel University in England. Among the possible culprits: dehydration, poor sleep and low blood sugar.
A honey of a home remedy
Chewing gum can help your heartburn. Ginger fights motion sickness. And dish detergent just might be your secret weapon against poison ivy. An article by Janis Graham on home remedies in the June Ladies’ Home Journal goes beyond the old stand-bys to deliver some interesting ideas and compelling evidence. Think Grandma was wrong about honey for coughing? Check out the Pennsylvania State University at Hershey study of more than 100 people ages 2 to 18 that found a spoonful calms coughs better than over-the-counter syrup. Kids younger than 1 should not eat honey, the magazine says. On the chewing gum front, British researchers found that chewing the sugarless variety for a half-hour after eating high-fat foods reduced the risk of heartburn. Chewing gum increases the flow of saliva, which neutralizes stomach acids, according to Zach Rosen, the medical director of New York City’s Montefiore Family Health Center.
Empty nest, happy nest
When the kids grow up and leave home, moms suffer from lingering depression, apathy and loss of identity, right? Not necessarily, according to an article by Naomi Barr in June’s O, the Oprah Magazine. Research now indicates that empty nest syndrome isn’t typical, with a 2008 University of Missouri study finding that moms suffer no more than dads when the kids depart. When researchers at University of Calfornia Berkeley studied 123 women in their 40s, 50s and 60s, they found that empty nesters actually experienced greater satisfaction with their partners than moms who had children at home. Couples with no kids around had more time to enjoy shared activities such as quiet hikes, intimate dinners, and, um, other forms of intimacy. When the kids are away, the adults will play.
Take the DIY genetics test
Top geneticists say that tracking down your family medical history and recording your own is probably the most powerful genetic “test” you’ll ever take, according to an article by Sari Harrar in June’s Woman’s Day. “Nearly everyone has a serious health condition that runs in the family and could be prevented or caught early if you know to look for it,” according to Alan Guttmacher, the acting director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at NIH. The article explains what you need to know from relatives to compile a detailed family history and how to share information with your doctor.


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