Health Tips Line

Shoveling snow is a task most of us approach on autopilot. The momentary ahh, pretty! of waking up to a fresh blanket of white powder fades quickly as you leap into action: You clear what needs clearing, push the snow aside and call it a job well done. But is it? As long as the sidewalk is clear, few of us pause to think about whether our shoveling could come back to haunt us. The problem is, one hasty decision can cross a line you didn’t even know existed. In some places, it can lead to fines, warnings or even bigger issues. We check in with Thomas Simeone, an attorney based in Washington, D.C., who not only knows the law, but he’s shoveled more than his fair share of snow. Before the next winter storm hits, it’s vital you understand a common cold-weather misstep that can cost you more than sore arms. Keep reading to learn what you’re supposed to do, and what you’re definitely not , so you can avoid running afoul of the law this winter. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up ...

Anna Batho started dining out alone as a solo world traveler at 19. But what started out of necessity ended up becoming one of her favorite pastimes, even now that she’s a clinical psychologist and loneliness researcher. In fact, this was part of the inspiration for her current book on how to combat loneliness because, as she points out, being lonely and being alone are two very different things. “I have friends I can eat with, but sometimes I just want to choose the restaurant I want, the time I want, the food I want and spend ages just thinking, watching and reading,” she says. “My favorite pastime is people-watching, and so even in my home city, I grab a book, choose a cafe and watch the world go by, pretending like I’m on holiday.” Sounds lovely, right? For her. A seasoned traveler ! A confident solo diner! A woman who is literally writing a book about being comfortably alone! Meanwhile, for the rest of us, the thought of saying, “Table for one, please,” feels roughly as appeali...

Look, we’ve all had that moment when a kid drops a bit of Gen Alpha slang and we think, Am I having a stroke? One minute you’re chatting with your 13-year-old niece; the next, they’re tossing out lines like, “That pizza was so bussin’.” Suddenly, even though you write and edit for a living, you’re questioning your grip on the English language (true story). As Gen Alpha slang explodes across TikTok , YouTube and Instagram at warp speed, those of us over the age of 15 (or waaaaay over the age of 15) need a little translation guide just to survive small talk. So I called on a true expert: Arieh Smith, the linguistics-loving YouTuber whose viral video of a speech delivered almost entirely in Gen Alpha slang nailed every term—just check the reactions of the kids in the audience. To prepare, Smith studied Gen Alpha vocabulary (“I watched way too many TikTok videos to count,” he says) and ran his script past actual teens. With Smith’s help, I pulled together a list of the two dozen m...

Whether you’re at a neighborhood party or around the dinner table, you want to start a conversation that doesn’t quickly sputter out. As everyone knows, if you ask, “How was your day?” you’re bound to get a quick “fine” … or a grunt, if you dare chat up your teen. Truth is, almost everyone feels awkward about making small talk , so we default to stock questions, which inevitably lead to canned answers. Yawn . But it’s surprisingly easy to level up your chit-chat: We rounded up interesting questions to ask when you want to encourage off-the-cuff sharing. These upgraded questions work as icebreakers to help you connect more with people you don’t know very well and as prompts to spark meatier conversations with friends and family (yes, high school-aged spawn included!). One quick tip: If the person you’re chatting up isn’t rushing to respond to a question, jump up in and answer it yourself—this will make them feel more comfortable opening up too. OK, ready to back-and-forth like a bo...

Fellow travelers, we need to talk. Airports have become a hot spot for bad behavior. From impatient “ gate lice ” and inconsiderate “speaker scum” to content creators who artfully arrange and photograph or film their TSA trays (and hold up the security line while they do!), many people seem to be forgetting their manners when they enter the airport these days. Seriously, don’t be those people. Of course, some behaviors, like listening to your phone at full volume , are obviously bad. But expectations around others, like the latest trend called “belt bumping,” may not be so black and white. What is belt bumping? Why has it become not only common but also highly controversial? And are you doing it when you fly? (Say it ain’t so!) We’ve got the answers to these questions and more, so you can become a more confident and polite traveler. Read on to find out what is going on with this annoying trend —and what you might want to do differently the next time you’re in an airport. Get  Re...