Health Tips Line

She watches you from afar It can be hard to tell if your cat is keeping her distance because she’s upset or if she’s staying away because, well, she’s a cat and cats are weirdos. But if your furry friend actively avoids you when she’s normally playful or keeps away for longer than usual it can be a sign she’s mad, scared, or anxious, says Michael Rueb, cat behavior expert and operations manager for the National Cat Protection Society . Angry cats will keep their distance when they get confused by, say, a sudden loud voice, quick movements or even an unfamiliar smell on your jacket, he explains. The solution? Let her have her space, she’ll come back when she’s ready. The post 15 Signs Your Cat Is Secretly Mad at You appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2IBkX2D

Koalas These slow-moving, eucalyptus-eating marsupials native to Australia are beloved for their sweet demeanors and distinctly non-human adorableness. However, they do share one feature in common with homo sapiens : fingerprints. What’s more, their fingerprints, analyzed under a microscope, are virtually indistinguishable in the way they loop and whorl from our own. Researchers posit that koalas adapted this feature—which is also present in primates such as chimpanzees—in order to better grasp the branches they climb to forage for leaves. Check out the longest-living animals on the planet . The post 60 Incredible Animal Facts You Probably Didn’t Know Before appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2tQ6Qxp

Think fast: When’s the last time you’ve had a booster shot? If you’re like (ahem) most of us, it’s been a while. “People often think that if they’ve had all their shots as a kid, that’s it, but that’s not true,” says Susan Besser , MD, family physician with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Not only do some immunizations lose effectiveness over time, but there are updated recommendations—and even some new boosters available—that you may not even be aware of. As for the recent anti-vaccine movement, based on fears of vaccines contributing to autism, our experts unanimously agree that the claims are false and have since been debunked . “Remember what vaccines are for in the first place, to protect our population from a heavy death toll on communicable diseases that we can otherwise prevent,” says Ahmad Garrett-Price , MD, family physician at Baylor Scott and White Health in Dallas. “No matter how you feel about vaccinations, don’t make your decisions based on myth or message boards. Re

If you didn’t Instagram it, did it even happen? This “me, me, me” mindset has led to massive influxes of tourism in certain Instagram-worthy locations that has, over time, helped to ruin landscapes and disrupt culture. For your next trip to these ten swoon-worthy locales, pack your walking shoes and considering turning your phone off to unplug and enjoy the scenery in real life.  The post 10 Places You Should Stop Taking Photos appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2T5nW6t

Why do they “run” in their sleep? As you may have guessed, this usually means they’re dreaming, and fortunately, it’s not usually of any medical significance, says Gary Richter , DVM, integrative veterinarian, and veterinary health expert at Rover.com . What’s interesting is that studies revealed certain dog breeds acted out their hallmark traits while dreaming, like an English springer spaniel flushing out prey or a pointer “pointing” in its sleep. If all that “running” during sleep seems excessive, Dr. Richter says it could point to underlying stress or a medical condition. The post 13 Reasons Behind Your Dog’s Weird Behavior appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2B3AN1j

Know your ‘hood “Oftentimes, crime can be discouraged by the mere presence of an alert neighbor,” says Douglas Kane, president of Risk Control Strategies and a 27-year veteran of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and expert in criminal investigations, strategic planning, crisis management, and tactical leadership. When you’re familiar with your neighborhood, you’re more likely to notice strangers or unfamiliar vehicles. “If something appears suspicious call the police. If a vehicle is repeatedly seen in the neighborhood, copy down the license plate and alert authorities,” advises Kane. Outsmart burglars with these 13 home security tips . The post 13 Sneaky Ways FBI Agents Protect Their Homes appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2qyT945

Hasnat Khan remains an enigma It’s been more than 20 years since the tragic death of Princess Diana, and the story of her romantic relationship with cardiac surgeon Hasnat Khan, MD is only just beginning to take shape. It’s taken even longer for an image of the man whom Diana referred to as “The One” to emerge. “Alone among the men who were Diana’s lovers, Khan has not sold his story for millions of pounds despite intense pressure from newspapers and publishers for him to do so,” the Telegraph reported during the 2007 inquest into Diana’s death. While a lot of what surrounds their relationship remains a mystery, we do know these  11 long-standing secrets about Princess Diana’s and Hasnat Khan’s relationship . The post What You Probably Didn’t Know About Hasnat Khan, the True Love of Princess Diana’s Life appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2QsQNDC

Full body wag You probably see this wag when you come home from work every night. Your pup welcomes you with a tail wagging in a big circle. You’ll also see him shaking his entire body in a loose way, accompanied by a submissive grin or a soft open mouth. “The more swaying and wiggly motion closer to the head of the dog, the friendlier the dog is,” notes Russ Hartstein, CEO of Fun Paw Care , certified dog behaviorist and trainer in Los Angeles. The post 12 Secrets Your Dog’s Tail is Trying to Tell You appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2rLWZHx

Every place you’ve ever been Both Androids and iPhones have internal tracking devices that can see your location at any given point. Hidden in the settings of iPhones and Androids lies “ Location Services .” If yours is switched on, your phone has likely built up a pretty long list of places you’ve been. This feature does use up a lot of battery life, so many users have it turned off. However, some apps like Uber or Airbnb turn it on when you authorize them. And all this information your smartphone knows about you is helpful to hackers, according to these secrets hackers won’t tell you . The post 8 Creepy Things Your Smartphone Knows About You appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2T5nSDL

Ink cartridges More than 350 million ink and toner cartridges are thrown into landfills every year, according to inkcartridges.com , where it will take 450 to 1,000 years for them to decompose. “When something is tossed in the garbage and either landfilled or incinerated, the value of that material is lost forever,” Lauren Taylor, the Global VP of Communications for TerraCycle , says. “When an object is recycled, it provides a more circular solution.” Instead of letting those cartridges spend centuries in a landfill, look for recycling instructions on the cartridge’s package.  HP accepts old HP-brand cartridges via mail, or you can also physically drop them off. Staples’  ink & toner recycle program, which will give you $2 off your next cartridge purchase for bringing in your used ones, is one of the great ways to reduce waste—and save money . The post 30 Ways to Recycle Just About Anything appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2q9WR

Go easier on yourself Once you hit the 40s, you may be starting to feel some mid-life changes in your health. Perhaps you’re having trouble sleeping or maybe you find yourself bumping up the font size while you type emails because you’re straining to see the text. Don’t get depressed or frustrated: Instead, embrace this life change and start making some changes—like the ones that follow—which will help keep you healthy for the rest of your life. Make sure you know the best vitamins to take for your age . The post 10 Health Tweaks You Need to Make in Your 40s appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2STKve4

“Neurobic” exercises are like cross-training for your brain Giving your brain new experiences that combine physical senses—vision, smell, touch, taste, and hearing—with emotional “sense” stimulates more connections between different brain areas, causes nerve cells to produce natural brain nutrients that dramatically help memory, and makes surrounding cells stronger and more resistant to the effects of aging. Try these brain exercises during your morning routine or your down time and see if you feel the difference. The post 14 Weird Brain Exercises That Help You Get Smarter appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2kRYEI2

This past July, photo-editing app FaceApp went viral as people went gaga for the chance to see what they’ll look like when they’re old, bearded, and wrinkly. The app, which was released in 2017, suddenly gained traction and over 12 million new users in the span of a few weeks this past July . The good times quickly darkened, however, when users learned that the terms of service they agreed to gave FaceApp “irrevocable” access to “use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish” any name or likeness provided. Users’ fears were compounded when it was made public that the app’s developer, Wireless Lab, is based in St. Petersburg, Russia. Users are now left to worry that they handed over the keys to sensitive personal data in exchange for a goofy selfie. Are FaceApp users’ fears well-founded? The big dilemma with apps having access to data “This is most likely to become the problem of the century—that’s how big it is,” says Mihai Corbu, Senior IT Consultant at Lentiq . “App makers can access yo

With over 70 years of marriage under their belts, Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II have gone through their ups and downs. But one little fact about their relationship in particular gives us the warm fuzzies. Most couples have cutesy nicknames for each other, and the Duke of Edinburgh and Her Majesty are no exception. Apparently, even royal couples have silly little relationship quirks—just look at these adorable photos of the Queen and Prince Philip together. During the 2006 film The Queen , as Philip is about to get in bed and tells his wife to “move over, cabbage.” Wait … cabbage? “I inquired in royal circles and was told on very good authority that that is what the duke sometimes calls the Queen,” said the film’s screenwriter Peter Morgan tells The Times . The Queen’s biographer, Robert Lacey, confirmed. How cute! Some have speculated that the pet name comes from mon petit chou , a French way of saying “my darling.” In English, though, the term translates literally to “my li

Ballet was one of her first loves As a child in Norfalk, England, little Diana Spencer studied ballet and dreamed of taking the stage with the Royal Ballet. Unfortunately, her height held her back, as she eventually grew to nearly 5’11”. But her passion for dance remained even after she married Prince Charles in 1981. She was known for her generosity in supporting the English National Ballet, both as a private dancer and through fundraising efforts. In 1985, she surprised an audience, including the royal family, at the Royal Opera House with a three-minute contemporary dance performance with her friend and former Royal Ballet Principal Wayne Sleep. After her death, renowned ballet dancer and choreographer Peter Schaufuss developed a full-length ballet called Diana—The Princess.  These are the secrets about Princess Diana that no one knew about until after her death . The post 10 Facts You Probably Never Knew About Princess Diana appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reade

That morning I was 12 years old, sitting in school three blocks away from the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, when the planes hit the twin towers. Our teachers had us all gather in the cafeteria. I remember parents rushing in to pull out their children amid the chaos. I began panicking, wondering how I would get home to my apartment building on the other side of the Towers where my elderly grandparents also lived. Then, my neighbor and her 13-year-old son appeared in the doorway, arriving late for the day after an appointment, to walk me home. We left just minutes before the first tower collapsed. What we ran from, saw, heard, smelled, and experienced as we pushed through crowds and ran for our lives from the collapsing towers—the first, then the second—as we tried to get home with police stopping us at every way in and bloody, ash-covered bodies running past us—has become common knowledge in the past decade. But it’s very different to live through it in real-time as a child

Free beauty and nutrition samples If you’re always looking for the next best cream, hair product, or protein bar, you’ll love knowing there’s an almost-secret club for Amazon Prime members who want to try out all the best new products for free. You can see more about how to score some of these through their Sample Box program . Ordering these sample boxes is only open to Prime members right now, and costs a few dollars up front, but once the box ships, you’re promptly refunded—making all the goodies free. Who knows—you’ll might even discover some Amazon products you’ll want to use every day . The post 13 Things You Can Get for Free on Amazon appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2YxR3o1

The Fox and the Hound This vintage classic about born rivals remains one of the best dog movies to watch with the whole family. Adults will appreciate the voice work from Mickey Rooney as the fox, and Kurt Russell as the hound, while kiddos will love the rollicking friendship between the two pups. Once the pair grow up, you can expect conflict—foxes and hounds usually aren’t best buds. However, in Disney’s hands, the rivalry makes for enduring lessons about loyalty and friendship. Did you ever wonder why your dog’s tail is always wagging? Here are 12 secrets about wags and what they mean. Buy now The post 14 of the Best Dog Movies to Watch with Your Pooch appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2Ks5wJd

For some people, an all-you-can-eat buffet isn’t a meal, it’s a challenge. But filling plate after plate to get the most for your dollar could compromise your health. “That competitive mentality and going in overly hungry set you up for overeating and that awful feeling you get 20 minutes after you’re done,” says Lauri Wright , PhD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and chairperson of the department of nutrition and dietetics at the University of North Florida. Not only can all-you-can-eat buffets derail your diet, but they could also put you at higher risk for getting sick. Almost any food can put you at risk for food-borne illness if it hasn’t been handled correctly, notes Shelley Feist, executive director of the Partnership for Food Safety Education . And it’s tough to tell from eyeballing a buffet if the cream of mushroom soup or the sushi is being kept hot or cold enough. “The zone between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit is what we call the danger zone be

About Best Loved Brands When you’re looking for the absolute best, grocery shopping can be quite the ordeal. With dozens of brands, and hundreds of choices, from bacon to brownies, meatballs to mozzarella, it can be daunting to make the picks that will make your recipes sing. That’s where our sister site,  Taste of Home  comes in. Their culinary and editorial experts put 100+ products to the test. After undergoing a thorough review, their Best Loved Brands emerged. Finding the Best Spaghetti Sauce When it comes to pasta sauce, we all enjoy the homemade stuff complete with the best secret ingredient , but we don’t always have the time. That’s why knowing a good store-bought brand is so crucial. A good jar of marinara can make weeknight dinners easy and delicious. During Taste of Home’s  Best Love Brands Spaghetti Sauce test, 11 brands were tested—some standards and a few that were totally new to the team. Each pasta sauce was tested blindly and judged according to these criteria:

While tonsils do have a surprising purpose , they can also be a huge source of pain. Just one of the ailments that can affect your tonsils are tonsil stones. If you have ever experienced tonsil stones, you know they can be annoying at best and may even require surgery at worst. Tonsil stones happen when bits of food, bacteria, or dead skin cells get caught in the tiny crevices in our tonsils. As food or other particles get pushed together in the tonsils, they form hard balls known as tonsil stones. A study in ISRN Dentistry found that tonsil stones affect about 8 percent of adults . What are tonsil stones? Tonsil stones are hard calcifications caught in the tonsils. They are usually light yellow or white but may form too deep in the tonsils for you to see with a mirror. A study in the Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery found that tonsil stones are similar to the plaque that forms on our teeth. How do tonsil stones form? Our tonsils work as part of our immune systems

Wash your face If it’s gentle enough for your baby’s skin, then it stands to reason it would be gentle enough for your own. That’s how Heidi Klum came to include baby shampoo as part of her go-to beauty routine. She calls it “gentle” and “thorough,” according to Hello Giggles . The post 24 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do with Baby Shampoo appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2KanGPm

Plastic is everywhere If you take a look around your kitchen or office right now, chances are you’ll notice you’re surrounded by plastic—water bottles, to-go coffee cups, straws, plastic grocery bags, food wrappers, take-out containers, single-serve coffee pods, disposable utensils, and produce bags. These are all examples of single-use plastic products, which is a hot topic nowadays based on both environmental and health concerns. It’s certainly not realistic to remove all plastic from your life, but let’s examine some stats that may encourage you to reduce your single-use plastic footprint by ditching straws, switching to reusable water bottles, bringing cloth bags to the grocery store, and more. The post 50 Facts That Will Make You Stop Using Plastic appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2x3W4FK

It’s no secret that you love your dog and would do anything in the world to keep him safe and healthy. You have mastered house training, walking on a leash, taking him to the vet, and keeping him up-to-date on shots. Then one day he unleashes what sounds like a series of hiccups that is both adorable and alarming. You don’t even know if dogs can get hiccups, so are they really hiccups or something more concerning? Can dogs get hiccups? The answer is yes, and, according to the American Kennel Club, dogs get hiccups for the same reason as their owners: a spasm in the diaphragm, the muscle under the lung, causes the glottis, (the opening between the vocal cords) to close suddenly. This spasm results in a “hic” sound. While puppies may experience the hiccups after eating or drinking too quickly, when they are fatigued, when they are overexcited, or if they have a cold, it is rare to for older dogs to get hiccups. It’s also pretty normal for dogs to do these weird things . How common is

Dalmatians in firehouses aren’t a recent phenomenon. In the mid-eighteenth century , carriage drivers noticed that dogs, and dalmatians in particular, had a very calming effect on their horses. The dogs were first used to run on either side of passenger carriages and keep horses calm when distractions or things that might spook the horses arose. This practice was adopted by Fire Brigades in the late 1700s when horse-drawn fire carriages hit the scene. Dalmatians were often chosen by firehouses over other dogs as they not only calmed the horses, but had incredible endurance, were very loyal, and had loud barks. This was key in the early days of fire carriages as the small pack of dogs that would run beside the carriages was also used as a sort of siren to warn pedestrians that a carriage was coming and they needed to clear a path. When the firefighters would run into buildings, the dogs would stay with the horses, calming them, and keeping pickpockets away. At the time, dalmatians wer

Halloween cat costume: King of the Jungle When it comes to cat costumes for Halloween, this one is a given. No one will dare cross your cat with this fearsome, yet still adorable, lion mane. Looking for something everyone can have fun with? Incorporate your furry friend into the  best group Halloween costumes your whole family will love . Buy Now The post The 15 Best Cat Costumes for Halloween appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2oLuw3B

In their own words We explored a Reddit thread where doctors and nurses shared the recovery stories that baffled and amazed them. The results show that modern medicine, combined with the power of human determination, can overcome incredible circumstances. And these stories are just as wild as these  11 crazy stories from emergency room nurses. The post Doctors Reveal the Most Miraculous Recovery They’ve Ever Seen in a Patient appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2wKl0mh

Lead This is certainly one of the last ingredients you’d think could wind up in your kids’ food. However, traces of lead are found in fruit juices, mixed fruit, apples, pears, baby foods, and vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes, according to the FDA . “Lead has been found to cause behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, aggression, and inattention as well as lower IQ,” warns Otoniel Santiago, RD, clinical dietitian with the Get Up & Go program at Children’s Health . To lower your child’s consumption of lead, Santiago recommends serving up foods that will block lead absorption, such as turnip greens, collard greens, canned salmon , and dairy products. “These are high in calcium, and calcium and lead compete for the same absorption sites in bones; the more calcium available, the easier the win for calcium,” says Santiago—and the less lead your child will absorb. “Additionally, iron-rich foods like red meats, beans, and lentils, when taken with foods high in vitamin C, ca

To Kill a Mockingbird The real problem with Harper Lee’s classic about racism in a small Southern town is not its surprisingly modern tomboy rebel narrator and her heroic father, who defends a black man wrongfully accused of raping a white woman. The crying shame is that most readers get introduced to the novel too early, often even in middle school. Yes, there are childish characters at the heart of the plot, but they themselves don’t fully understand the story’s complex web of racism, snobbery, stifling conformity and violence—and young readers are not ready for its hints of incest, mental illness, and addiction either. Give this American classic another try, or these 100 favorite American novels, especially if you had to read it for school. Buy now The post The Top 10 Books Everyone Lies About Reading appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2MZWMhe

Labrador Retrievers are great for families Labs are hands down the most popular breed in the U.S. and have been for many years. In many respects they are the quintessential family dog; loyal, good with kids, friendly but big enough to make a burglar think twice, and long-lived. They do need room to play so a yard or frequent trips to the dog park are ideal. They also love water! They do shed seasonally, so regular brushing is necessary. As they age, labs are prone to hip dysplasia and arthritis, and frequently suffer knee ligament injuries in middle age. For a large breed dog, labs have a fairly long life-span, some living upwards of 12 to 13 years, so geriatric issues, urinary incontinence, cognitive dysfunction (dementia), hearing loss, and heart problems are not uncommon. Still put off by their size? You might reconsider because of these  reasons you should consider a large dog . The post Your Official Guide to Picking the Best Dog Breed for You appeared first on Reader's Dig

“Rocket” Oldsmobile This modern classic hit the market in the 1950s. Its print ad said that it offered hydraulic steering and a new Hydra-Matic Super Drive engine. Check out some more vintage retro cars you’ll want to drive . The post 15 Vintage Cars You’ll Wish You Could Drive Today appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2PiPNwG

Deep breathing “I found my recipe in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer. It is simply to draw 20 even breaths, then on the 21st, hold the breath as long as possible. By the time I have done this three times I am drowsy.” —Sophie Kerr, novelist.  Check out these 11 weird sleep tricks that actually work . And yes, Sophie’s tactic is one of them! The post Sleep Advice From 1938 That Still Works Today appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2IULmVi