Health Tips Line

After a long day, there’s nothing better than sinking into the couch, grabbing the remote and firing up the latest blockbuster movie or binge-worthy TV show . Our smart TVs, which put so many streaming apps right at our fingertips, make it easy—and that’s a bit of a problem. That always-on connectivity comes with a hidden cost: your privacy. Because while you’re kicking back and watching your favorite actors, your TV is watching you . It’s not using a camera; it’s collecting data. Worse, you can’t get around it by buying another television: All the major smart TV brands use these spying features . The good news is that you can take control and limit what your television “sees” about you, and we’re going to show you how. Read on for everything you need to know about the data your smart TV is gathering on you—and how you can stop it. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more tech, humor, travel, cleaning and fun facts all week long. What does your TV know about y...

Let me start by saying that Mahjong is a lot more than just a pretty game. I was first drawn in by the colorful setups, sparkly tiles and themed cocktails taking over my social feeds. I was also determined to pick up something new at the start of the year, so I convinced a few friends to join me. We ordered a Mahjong set, added all the fun accessories, and figured we’d be playing in no time. Then a seasoned player gave us a reality check: Mahjong isn’t exactly a learn-as-you-go kind of game. Turns out, there’s a bit more to it than we expected—but that’s part of the appeal. Here’s what to know before you dive in. What is Mahjong? (And why is it trending?) Mahjong is a four-player, tile-based game that originated in Qing Dynasty China. It made its U.S. debut in 1920 and quickly became a popular pastime. In 1937, a group of women formed the National Maj Jongg League. Their goal was to standardize the game we now know as American Mahjong so that all players would abide by the same rule...

When I fly, I like to grab food at the airport to bring on board so I don’t have to eat the mystery meat. But did you know you can also bring your own food from home? Yes, you are actually allowed to take your own food on a plane, as long as you follow a few TSA guidelines . It turns out there are very good reasons to BYOPF (bring your own plane food)—and it’s not just because airline food is notoriously awful. So should you do it for health reasons, to have food on hand in case you get stuck on a runway … or for some other reason entirely? Well, there’s actually a wild scientific reason we all should pack a bite for the flight. To get the full story, I reached out to Abby Thiel, PhD, a food scientist in Madison, Wisconsin, and Angel Luk, a registered dietitian and the author of You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet . Read on for the details on what foods to pack from home or grab at the airport —and why you’ll be glad you knew this insider tip before that cart wheels down the aisle. Get...

What were you doing in 2007? If you could see the future, you’d know that the economy was about to crater. There was a major housing crisis brewing, and that plus the Great Recession were about to land like a one-two punch. In the last 19 years, wages have been climbing steadily (up 66%), but if you think that’s been enough to even maintain the same standard of living as back then, well, the people of 2026 would like a word. Paying for rent, groceries and a used car hasn’t gotten any easier over the past two decades, and a new report from InvestorsObserver has the stats to prove it. People are actually working multiple days more than they used to every year just to afford basic necessities! How many more days are we talking? Ahead, we dive into the report, and it’s not pretty. Read on to learn just how many more days you’re putting in to keep a roof over your head, your car on the road and food on the table . Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more work news...

Recently, I did something gloriously unhinged: I taught a Millennial Dance Party fitness class. We’re talking full video choreography to Britney Spears’s “Oops! … I Did It Again,” which I performed in the red vinyl bodysuit from the music video and a blond wig (because if you’re going to embarrass yourself, you might as well commit). We danced to Usher. We twerked to Beyoncé. We worked out to songs that were playing the last time any of us had a metabolism worth bragging about. I had expected a decent turnout. But I ended up with a room packed full of middle-aged moms who had put their kids to bed early and come out on a school night—on a school night!—to squeeze into their old low-rise jeans, fold-over yoga pants and Juicy Couture tracksuits (butt bling and all) and absolutely lose their minds to their middle school jams. People were laughing. People were scream-singing the words. People were doing the “Toxic” slither with a level of commitment they probably haven’t brought to anythi...