Health Tips Line

When it comes to seasonal treats , no time of year slays like Halloween. From pumpkin spice lattes and candy apples to, well, pumpkin spice everything else, we’re in for a ghoulishly good time. But McDonald’s and a handful of fast-food restaurants have taken the spooky surprises one step further. This year, McDonald’s is bringing back an iconic Halloween treat for fans of all ages, and the trick is to get one before they’re gone for the season. Keep reading to find out which Halloween item is returning to McDonald’s and when you’ll be able to get your hands on the spookiest surprise of the season. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more food news, humor, travel, tech and fun facts all week long. Which Halloween classic is coming back to McDonald’s? After much anticipation, the iconic Boo Buckets are returning to McDonald’s restaurants just in time for spooky season. These fun and frightful buckets contain Happy Meals in the days leading up to Halloween, and...

Turning on the tap should bring you a fresh drink, not a mystery smell. A whiff of something sharp, sour or just plain strange is enough to make anyone wonder what’s really in their water—it’s hard to shake the worry that something’s wrong. But before you panic (or start stocking up on bottled water ), know that certain odors can actually be a guidepost rather than a source of concern. “Smells can tell you a lot about what’s going on in your home,” says Scottie Pitts, a general contractor and the owner of Pitts Elite Contracting. He’s dealt with more than a few weird water smells in his 25 years of home construction and remodeling. “Sometimes it’s nothing serious, and other times, it’s a sign that something needs attention.” Keep reading to learn how to decode your water’s oddest odors—and when it’s time to call in a pro. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more home tips, cleaning, humor, travel, tech and fun facts all week long. If your water smells like chl...

Ready for a shock? Nicholas Sparks—you know, the king of the heartfelt and tearjerking romance novel —loves a good spine-tingling scare. “I’m a big fan of horror,” he says. “I’ve seen every horror movie and every Supernatural episode. Vampires, werewolves, you name it.” Sparks channeled his spooky side big time in his new book … with a little help from an expert on the subject. Remain (released on Oct. 14) follows Tate Donovan, a New York architect seeking a fresh start after the death of his beloved sister. He relocates to Cape Cod to design his best friend’s summer beach house and soon meets a mysterious woman named Wren, whose presence shakes his world. The book is part of a unique collaboration with Oscar-nominated writer-director M. Night Shyamalan ( The Sixth Sense , Trap ) that also includes a 2026 movie of the same name starring Jake Gyllenhaal. After developing the story together, the film auteur worked on the screenplay. Sparks followed with his literary contribution. “O...

It’s been almost three decades since Prince William lost his mother in a tragic car accident , but as anyone who’s ever lost a parent knows, her memory lives on. In fact, Britain’s future king says she’s been a constant presence in his life since that fateful day. In Eugene Levy’s Apple TV+ show The Reluctant Traveler , the Prince of Wales opened up about royal family life behind closed doors, the one thing he misses the most about Queen Elizabeth and a lesson Princess Diana taught him about parenting long before he became a father himself. Read on to find out how William is following in his mother’s footsteps when raising his kids, what his parents’ relationship taught him about his own marriage and how lessons from his childhood have shaped the man (and future monarch) he is today. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more royal news, humor, travel, tech and fun facts all week long. What was Diana like as a parent? Diana was a hands-on mom whose No. 1 pri...

Every fall, it starts the same way. The air turns crisp, your rake reappears from the garage, and your weekend calendar mysteriously fills up with “yard work.” Half a dozen leaf piles later, you’re sweaty, sore and starting to doubt the point. After all, the leaves look beautiful blanketing the grass, and you’ve heard whispers that maybe, just maybe, it’s better to leave them alone. Still, it’s hard not to feel the urge to tidy up when your yard starts resembling an abandoned lot and your homeowners association gives you not-so-subtle clues you’re ruining the neighborhood’s vibe. So what’s the right move? Should you rake, mulch or let nature take its course? We asked an expert to settle the debate. Leave any assumptions at the curb, and read on to find out what to do with your fallen foliage . Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more seasonal tips, humor, travel, tech and fun facts all week long. Why shouldn’t you rake all your leaves? Fallen leaves are go...

If you’ve ever talked about mental health at brunch with friends, seen a therapist or caught the award-winning Apple TV+ sitcom starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, chances are you’ve heard or said the word shrink . It’s one of those words we toss around without thinking twice—a casual slang term for a serious profession. But pause for a second and say it out loud: “shrink .” It doesn’t sound especially clinical. Or respectful. It’s not a title you’d expect to see on a diploma hanging neatly in a psychiatrist’s office. Like so much slang , shrink has an interesting backstory. To trace the term’s origins and evolution, I turned to Grant Barrett, a linguist, lexicographer and co-host of A Way with Words , a national radio show all about language. So lie back and get comfortable, and let’s unpack the curious case of shrink. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more grammar, cleaning, humor, travel, tech and fun facts all week long. Who do shrinks typically r...

When did you first fall in love with Diane Keaton? For me, it was Baby Boom in 1987. I still vividly recall staring at the poster of a brunette in a power suit and heels as she held a briefcase in one hand and a baby in the other. I was just a kid at the time, but I could clearly see that she was a strong woman trying to manage it all. Then, when my parents rented the video, I saw her in action. No ordinary heroine, Keaton’s J.C. Wiatt had the gusto to leave a big-city job and start over with a new baby. I suddenly wanted to sell jam in Vermont when I grew up too! The thing is, Keaton fully embodied every role she played. And it’s a testament to her versatile career that other fans have different first-time favorites, from the 1971 classic film The Godfather  to 2003’s rom-com Something’s Gotta Give . Maybe that’s why the Oct. 11 announcement of her death at 79 hit so hard: No matter the decade, Keaton always seemed timeless. But beyond reflecting on her incredible résumé, ther...