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HEALTH WATCH: Do Ur Thumbs Hurt?
Talk about typos! The latest health threat? BlackBerry Thumb. The throbbing or numbness of the hand can be caused by excessive use of a handheld e-mail device or frequent cellular text messaging. Try this stretch at least once for every half hour you spend typing: Spread your fingers open wide, hold for 10 seconds, and repeat eight times.
Talk about typos! The latest health threat? BlackBerry Thumb. The throbbing or numbness of the hand can be caused by excessive use of a handheld e-mail device or frequent cellular text messaging. Try this stretch at least once for every half hour you spend typing: Spread your fingers open wide, hold for 10 seconds, and repeat eight times.
Harvard Fertility Test for Guys
One in seven couples has trouble conceiving and half the time it’s the guy who has a problem. Until now, tests were expensive and conducted in doctors’ offices and laboratories. Fortunately, researchers at Harvard Medical School have developed the first at-home fertility test for men. The test is sold as part of a “couple’s kit” that includes both the male fertility test and a woman’s. It retails for $99.99 and results are available 30 to 80 minutes later. Available at drugstores and from www.fertell.com.
One in seven couples has trouble conceiving and half the time it’s the guy who has a problem. Until now, tests were expensive and conducted in doctors’ offices and laboratories. Fortunately, researchers at Harvard Medical School have developed the first at-home fertility test for men. The test is sold as part of a “couple’s kit” that includes both the male fertility test and a woman’s. It retails for $99.99 and results are available 30 to 80 minutes later. Available at drugstores and from www.fertell.com.
Eating Beef Lowers Sperm Count
Yikes! But wait’ll you hear how it happens. Turns out pregnant women who ate more than seven beef meals a week in a recent study gave birth to baby boys who grew up to have 24% less sperm than the children of women who ate less. The culprit? Scientists are looking into whether natural and artificial growth hormones fed to steers may have altered the men’s testicular development in utero, says researcher Shanna Swan, PhD, director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester. The hormones are banned in Europe—but not in the U.S. Until more research clarifies the beef–lower sperm count connection, American women who are pregnant or who may become so should buy only hormone-free organic-fed beef, says Swan.
Yikes! But wait’ll you hear how it happens. Turns out pregnant women who ate more than seven beef meals a week in a recent study gave birth to baby boys who grew up to have 24% less sperm than the children of women who ate less. The culprit? Scientists are looking into whether natural and artificial growth hormones fed to steers may have altered the men’s testicular development in utero, says researcher Shanna Swan, PhD, director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester. The hormones are banned in Europe—but not in the U.S. Until more research clarifies the beef–lower sperm count connection, American women who are pregnant or who may become so should buy only hormone-free organic-fed beef, says Swan.
What a Snore
The real health cost of a bedmate’s nighttime symphony. Talk about a wake-up call: If you’re married to a snorer, you will have lost about 4 years’ worth of Zzzs by your 50th wedding anniversary, found a recent British survey. Worse, people who don’t get enough snooze time can develop mood and memory problems—and are more likely to be involved in car crashes. Ask your spouse to sleep on his or her stomach or side, or try propping their head with an extra pillow—both tricks open the airway more and turn down the volume.
The real health cost of a bedmate’s nighttime symphony. Talk about a wake-up call: If you’re married to a snorer, you will have lost about 4 years’ worth of Zzzs by your 50th wedding anniversary, found a recent British survey. Worse, people who don’t get enough snooze time can develop mood and memory problems—and are more likely to be involved in car crashes. Ask your spouse to sleep on his or her stomach or side, or try propping their head with an extra pillow—both tricks open the airway more and turn down the volume.
Soy Nuts Score a Triple
Older women who snacked on a half-cup of soy nuts instead of a high-protein food like cheese every day managed to knock their blood pressure down by 15 points, reports a study from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. The women also lowered artery-damaging LDL cholesterol by 11 points and the truly evil artery-ripping apolipoprotein B by 8 points. The result? A longer life, researchers say.
Older women who snacked on a half-cup of soy nuts instead of a high-protein food like cheese every day managed to knock their blood pressure down by 15 points, reports a study from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. The women also lowered artery-damaging LDL cholesterol by 11 points and the truly evil artery-ripping apolipoprotein B by 8 points. The result? A longer life, researchers say.
Wash Away Allergies
If you find yourself sniffling in bed, crank your washing machine to the hottest setting. In a South Korean study, laundering cotton sheets at 140°F killed 100% of dust mites, while a warm 104°F wash destroyed just 6.5%. A machine’s “sanitize” setting is likely hot enough; check the manual if your model lacks this option. Some units heat water internally—but others use what flows through the pipes, so you may need to boost your water heater.
(Caution: High temps can scald in 5 seconds.)
If you find yourself sniffling in bed, crank your washing machine to the hottest setting. In a South Korean study, laundering cotton sheets at 140°F killed 100% of dust mites, while a warm 104°F wash destroyed just 6.5%. A machine’s “sanitize” setting is likely hot enough; check the manual if your model lacks this option. Some units heat water internally—but others use what flows through the pipes, so you may need to boost your water heater.
(Caution: High temps can scald in 5 seconds.)
TV: It Makes Us Sick to Watch
A day in front of the flat screen is all it takes for your life to become a medical drama. One reason: The clicker encourages overeating. Studies show you’ll eat 71% more food when watching TV than when you aren’t glued to the tube. And, of course, the time you spend on your butt is time you aren’t spending in the gym. Add to that the fact that overexposure to the screen’s bright light decreases your production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates normal sleep patterns, and you’re looking at a prime-time lineup of ailments.
A day in front of the flat screen is all it takes for your life to become a medical drama. One reason: The clicker encourages overeating. Studies show you’ll eat 71% more food when watching TV than when you aren’t glued to the tube. And, of course, the time you spend on your butt is time you aren’t spending in the gym. Add to that the fact that overexposure to the screen’s bright light decreases your production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates normal sleep patterns, and you’re looking at a prime-time lineup of ailments.
Love Lines
A little TLC is good for the heart. According to the journal Human Communication Research, expressing affection improves cholesterol levels. Researchers asked 33 people to write about their loved ones during three 20-minute sessions over 5 weeks. The subjects’ cholesterol levels dropped an average of 7 points, or about 20% of the difference between healthy and high cholesterol. According to lead author Kory Floyd, PhD, the writing triggered the release of cortisol, a hormone that may help keep cholesterol levels in check by offsetting stress. So spread the love: Get a blank card—not one with a printed message— picture the person you’re writing to, and tell them why they rock.
A little TLC is good for the heart. According to the journal Human Communication Research, expressing affection improves cholesterol levels. Researchers asked 33 people to write about their loved ones during three 20-minute sessions over 5 weeks. The subjects’ cholesterol levels dropped an average of 7 points, or about 20% of the difference between healthy and high cholesterol. According to lead author Kory Floyd, PhD, the writing triggered the release of cortisol, a hormone that may help keep cholesterol levels in check by offsetting stress. So spread the love: Get a blank card—not one with a printed message— picture the person you’re writing to, and tell them why they rock.
