Health Tips Line

Abusers can turn technology against victims to monitor, threaten, harass and hurt them, but there are resources and laws designed to help. from WebMD Health https://ift.tt/3oboo1i Abusers can turn technology against victims to monitor, threaten, harass and hurt them, but there are resources and laws designed to help.

Wear your mask Because face masks can help prevent you from getting or spreading COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that “people wear masks in public settings, like on public and mass transportation, at events and gatherings, and anywhere they will be around other people.” In fact, face masks have become part of the new normal . According to Denzil Seedial, MD, a board-certified doctor in internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care at PCSI in Florida, “Mask wearing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and stem this public health crisis.” There are so many masks out there, though, and, according to Dr. Seedial, not all masks are created equal. “Look for a cloth mask with at least three layers,” he recommends. “If it has two layers, make sure there’s a filter inside a pocket between them to add that extra dimension of protection.” Dr. Seedial warns against single layer masks, gaiters, and masks which h

OAB can occur when you can’t control your bladder contractions. 4 Nearly 30 million Americans age 40 and older experience bothersome OAB symptoms. 1 These symptoms can include an urgent “gotta go now” feeling, needing to pee more than eight times per day, and occasionally even leaking urine. 1 Though OAB can affect men, it predominantly affects women. 1 Having OAB might mean you map out the bathrooms at a destination before even getting in the car, or wear a dark outfit, “just in case.” 3 You may prefer to stay home instead of leaving the house. 2 For Marilyn, 73, the embarrassment of talking about her frequent close calls kept her from discussing symptoms with her doctor for almost two decades. She began noticing changes in her bladder health in the early 2000s. “Many years ago, I noticed that I needed to use the bathroom a lot more than other people. I love to go hiking and camping, and it just made the outings really uncomfortable,” she recalls. When symptoms worsened for Ma

The terms “supper” and “dinner” can be used pretty interchangeably, but “dinner” is typically used more often. Regardless, if someone says one or the other, most people will know they’re referring to the last meal of the day. But we came across some shocking news: they’re not the same thing after all—and if your grandparents or parents used the term “supper,” there’s a good chance your ancestors were farmers. “[In the 18th and early 19th centuries,] Americans regularly ate a light supper as their evening meal because they were eating dinner—the biggest meal of the day—around noon,” food historian Helen Zoe Veit told NPR. The purpose of eating their biggest meal at noontime was so farmers would have more strength and energy to get through the rest of their workday, according to the English Language & Usage Stack Exchange. Dictionary.com confirms, “dinner” doesn’t necessarily refer to a specific time of day. It simply means the main meal of the day. “Supper,” however, stems from the

Furniture faux pas Arranging your furniture can be a tricky task. Both large and small rooms, along with awkward-shaped spaces, can make placing furniture in the right spot difficult. And while it can be tempting to think that furniture arrangement is a matter of personal taste, so there’s no “wrong” way to do it, it’s true that a room with skillfully arranged can make a huge impression. Here are some common mistakes to avoid to make your home look more open, inviting, and stylish. Plus, these 13 tiny changes will make your home instantly happier . The post 10 Ways You’re Arranging Your Furniture All Wrong appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/3qiaNa3

Among thousands of kids tested for COVID-19, an upset stomach, loss of taste/smell, fever and headache were symptoms most predictive of positive test results, a Canadian study found. from WebMD Health https://ift.tt/2Js8bWg Among thousands of kids tested for COVID-19, an upset stomach, loss of taste/smell, fever and headache were symptoms most predictive of positive test results, a Canadian study found.

The ultimate post-pandemic travel list If you’ve been dreaming about traveling the world while staying safe at home, you’re not alone. Many Americans have been following the CDC’s travel recommendations and mitigating their risks of contracting and spreading coronavirus by staying local, but they’re letting their minds wander. According to TripAdvisor, users have been virtually exploring the country on the site and saving their favorite hotels for when they can hit the road again. So, what are travelers looking for? The top 25 choices for the most saved properties all fall into just four categories. The hustle and bustle of New York City, especially in the heart of Times Square, tops the list with eight hotels. Next up: The sun and fun of Florida, especially Orlando, with seven hotels. The nonstop entertainment of the Las Vegas Strip is another top choice on the travel wish list with five hotels. And finally, tropical dreams are awaiting in Hawaii with five properties on TripAdviso

Air travel costs come in two parts: the face value of the ticket, and the many fees that airlines attach after the fact . Sometimes these fees can cost more than the fare itself. This isn’t a mistake: Airlines are vying for the lowest price in travel searches, hoping to make up the cost in hidden fees. When searching for airfare, it helps to know which airlines tack on more fees. For example, is a $100 fare on a budget airline like Frontier Airlines ultimately cheaper than a $159 fare from Delta? Or will Frontier’s add-on fees for seat assignments and carry-on bags shrink the difference? Determining which airlines have the best and worst fees is no small feat, and it can get complex in a hurry. To help make sense of these fees and minimize the complexity, we performed an analysis of seven major airlines across two fee categories: baggage fees and seat assignment fees. We aimed to answer this question: What are the average additional fees on each airline? That is, how much extra will

You won’t be disappointed Sure, a lot of really great store brands and lesser-known labels are just as good as the big names. But sometimes, opting for the popular options or  paying more for high-quality products  pays off, thanks to unique formulas, ingredients, or fabrication methods. When everyone is talking about something, you’re right to be curious—and maybe even see for yourself what all the hype is about. “Products can become cult favorites in a variety of ways,” explains Sara Skirboll, a shopping and trends expert for RetailMeNot. “It seems like social media is a main driver of a brand having the potential to gain fame and popularity over a short amount of time, creating a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) from shoppers who don’t already own or use that item.” But not all products with a cult following are worth it . That’s why Skirboll says it’s imperative to read reviews from a trusted source, especially since so many of us are shopping online right now. She suggests l

Why do some dog breeds live longer than others? You don’t want to even think about the day your cherished pooch is no longer by your side and crosses over the rainbow bridge. It’s better to focus on the here and now and give your dog a healthy and happy life . But if you’re wondering where your own pup stands or you’re thinking about getting a specific type of dog, it’s good information to have. The bottom line: Size might matter when it comes to the longest dog life spans. “There is a trend across mammals in general that smaller mammals live longer lives,” says Catherine Lenox, DVM, a veterinarian for Royal Canin. “There isn’t a clear reason for this—it might have something to do with the animal’s metabolism—but it does seem to be true for dogs as well.” Yet, other factors not relevant to size, such as poor genetics, unforeseen accidents, not getting enough exercise , and sudden illness, impact how long a dog lives, too. According to Dr. Lenox, the following 20 dog breeds will live

Flushing faux pas Your average toilet flush may handle a lot of natural waste—and toilet paper—but it isn’t designed to handle anything else. The best way to increase the longevity of your toilets and avoid annoying plumbing issues (plus lots of extra plunger time) is to keep all other waste and trash away from your toilets. Take a look at the worst things to go down a toilet: Maybe it’s time for some new rules around your house. And by the way, here are the toilet paper alternatives you can’t flush down your toilet (and a couple you can) . The post 13 Things You Should Never Flush Down Your Toilet appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/36nIFdJ

Tic tac toe is a classic game. It can be played virtually anywhere and on anything, from a bar napkin to a computer screen to a chic wooden set . However, while the game may appear simple, that is deceptive. How to win tic tac toe requires strategic thinking and planning to win the game or force a draw. To do this, however, there are certain strategies you need to master. Another deceptive game? Rock, paper, scissors— here’s how to win every time . How to win tic tac toe when you go first When you’re the first one up, there is a simple strategy on how to win tic tac toe: put your ‘X’ in any corner. This move will pretty much send you to the winner’s circle every time, so long as your opponent doesn’t put their first ‘O’ in the center box. This can make it harder to win, but it can happen. How to win tic tac toe when you go second If you’re the second to go, it may be harder to win the game. If your opponent takes the center space, counteract that by placing your letter in a corner

The findings underscore the need to screen women who receive fractures to their ulna for possible intimate partner violence, researchers said. That includes those who say they were injured in a fall. from WebMD Health https://ift.tt/36nvcmn The findings underscore the need to screen women who receive fractures to their ulna for possible intimate partner violence, researchers said. That includes those who say they were injured in a fall.

It’s an inescapable reality of being a BIPOC : Sooner or later, someone will say something racially insensitive. It might be an innocent flub or an all-out mean-spirited dig, but you can be sure it will happen. And while minorities are often the unwitting recipients of ignorant, stereotypical commentary, the experience is inclusive of all races. It can happen on the playground, in the classroom, or in the workplace. That’s where Minda Harts comes in. The corporate diversity trainer and author of The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table has experienced her fair share of racially biased conversation as a young Black woman climbing the ranks in corporate America. “I had a manager who saw that I had on burnt-orange fingernail polish, and he said, ‘You people love your bright colors.’ And he joked around for 15 minutes about how Black people like bright colors,” recalls Harts. Even more embarrassing and degrading, her boss made the comments in front of her

Most Black people in the United States have at least one unforgettable story, a moment in time when someone who wasn’t Black attacked them with a six-letter word. Sticks and stones may break our bones, and although words will never physically hurt us, the six-letter one beginning with “N” can leave lasting emotional scars. Cutting just as deep are the wounds yielded by institutional racism. In the land of the free and the home of the brave, when you are anything other than White, you often must spend your life dealing with this less-tangible beast than individual bigotry. At the institutional level, racism has the power not just to insult but also to control the lives of people in minority groups by destroying their hopes and dashing their dreams. Black people can choose to brush off the N-word, but institutional racism is a thorn in the side that has replaced whips and chains as a crippling force. It’s not just personal. Institutional racism encompasses the many ways in which one-on

The text from my son said it all: “Dad, there’s an article you were born to write that the world is finally ready for: Bring Back the Handkerchief!” As my son knows, there’s no “bring back” for me. For me, the handkerchief never left. My mother raised me with several fixed rules. One was that a gentleman always has a clean handkerchief in his right rear pocket, a piece of simple cotton, roughly 15 inches square and less than four inches when folded. I was a dutiful son, but I can recall being a ten-year-old on the school playground, feeling the padding directly over my butt and wondering what it was there for. Time would tell. Every night for most of my life, I have removed from my trousers the items I’m going to need the next day—keys, wallet, and hankie, if it’s still unused. After 60 years, I am like the princess in “The Princess and the Pea.” My body weight feels wrong if I’m heading out of the house with an empty back pocket. I am sure this habit has sometimes struck friends a

I have always wanted and not wanted a cleaning person. I want very much for someone else to clean our house, as neither I nor my husband, Ed, has shown any aptitude for it, but I’d feel guilty inflicting such distasteful drudgery on another human. No one but me should have to clean up the dental floss heaped like spaghetti near the wastebasket where I toss it each night, never catching on that floss cannot be thrown with a high degree of accuracy. Imagine my joy upon reading that the iRobot company has invented the Roomba . The website plays a clip of an enlarged CD Walkman scooting across a living room carpet, sucking up detritus. Meanwhile, sentences run across the screen: “I’m having lunch with a friend” … “I’m planting flowers in the garden.” The point is that you can “enjoy life” while your robot cleans up the conspicuous chunks strewn about your living room floor. Here are some products that will clean your house in less than an hour . Roomba joined our family last week. Right

Grandma’s Christmas Cake One bite of this old-fashioned spice cake will bring back memories. Loaded with raisins and nuts, it tastes extra special drizzled with the rich buttery sauce. —Linda Stemen, Monroeville, Indiana Try some of these easy Christmas cookie recipes to pair with your cake . Get Recipe The post 25 Vintage Christmas Cake Recipes You’ll Love appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2KIWHhF

If you’re like us and have a pretty hefty list to cross off by December, now’s the time to make the most of that Costco membership. The warehouse retailer is seriously in the holiday spirit, rolling out great deals on festive apple pies (big enough for the whole family to have seconds), mini ornaments filled with hot cocoa, and oh, so much more. But the best deal from Costco this year is something you’ll definitely want to have under the tree on Christmas Day. Even though there are a plethora of things you won’t see in Costco anymore due to the pandemic, the store’s legendary four-piece kitchen bin set is back on shelves ahead of the holidays! This Costco classic is perfect for the Marie Kondo in your life—or even someone who could use a little kitchen decluttering. What’s better? It’s on sale right now! It’s one of Costco’s best buys Shoppers rave over Costco on an average day, but they’re  all over it when this kitchen bin set heads back into stores. The set includes four piec