Test Your Green IQ

#1. True or False: Running the dishwasher uses less water than hand-washing your dishes. That’s TRUE. A study by the University of Bonn in Germany found that it takes about 27 gallons of water to hand-wash 12 place settings. Since the average bathtub holds 20 gallons, that’s a little over a tub-full of water per day. On the flip side, your standard-size, Energy Star-rated dishwasher only uses about six gallons for a normal wash. So, using a dishwasher can save about 5,000 gallons of water a year, and $40 on your utility bill.

Next True/False question: “CFL” or Compact fluorescent bulbs contain mercury so you shouldn’t throw them away. That’s TRUE. CFL bulbs, which cut energy use by 70%, contain trace amounts of mercury, which can harm your nervous system. You can be exposed if the bulbs break in the trash. Instead, drop off burned out CFLs at designated recycling areas at Home Depot and Ikea stores.

We’re testing your Green IQ. True or False: It takes more energy to shut down your computer than to put it to sleep. This one is FALSE! There’s an energy surge when you turn on a switched-off computer, but the energy you saved while it was off more than makes up for it.

The final True/False question: Toilets are the biggest water hogs in the house. That’s TRUE! According to the EPA, toilets use almost 30% of the water in your house. So, to save water, replace all toilets made before 1994 with new ones. Look for the EPA’s WaterSense label. You’ll save about $90 a year on water bills. If you can’t afford to replace your old ones, put a toilet dam or a brick in the tank. It cuts down on the space that can be filled with water. and saves about a gallon of water per flush.

Is Your Guy in a “Bromance?”

Ladies, is your man having a “bromance” with another guy, a best friend they hit the gym with, play cards with, or grab a beer with? Well, know this: Experts say you should accept – and even encourage – your man to have a bromance. Dr. Geoffery Greif is the author of “Buddy System: Understanding Male Friendships.” He says that bromances are all the rage because it’s more socially accepted nowadays for men to express their feelings for platonic male friends, and the benefits are enormous. For example:

• Men with close friends live longer, healthier lives than men without close friendships.
• Also, men who have close guy friends are more likely to exercise or to start working out if they don’t already.
• A bromance can help your man stay intellectually stimulated, because best buddies push each other to try new things, and that can keep them both mentally engaged.

According to Dr. William Pollack from Harvard University, having a close male buddy is the single most important thing in a man’s life. He points out that countless studies have found that friendships can help lower blood pressure, ward off depression, speed healing after an injury, and even prolong your life.
What if your guy’s bromantic partner is someone you don’t happen to like? What should you do? Plain and simple: Keep your mouth shut and focus on the positives. Ask your guy what he likes about his best bud, which should help you better understand and appreciate the friend he hangs out with.

Headache Cures

Your headache medicine could be giving you a headache! An article we read said that using over-the-counter pain relievers more than twice a week sets you up for rebound headaches. So, here’s how to break the cycle, and live pain-free:

• Relax. Dr. Sheena Aurora is the director of the Swedish Headache Center in Seattle. She says that tight muscles in the neck and shoulders are a major cause of headaches. So, when you’re feeling anxious, take deep breaths and do a few head and shoulder rolls to relieve the tension.


• Headache cure #2: Cold-and-heat therapy. Experts aren’t sure why changes in temperature are effective, but they work. So, wrap a cold pack in a cloth, and place it where you hurt. In five minutes, switch it for a heating pad or hot water bottle. Then, repeat the hot-cold process until your headache disappears.


• Another headache cure that works – IF you’re careful: Caffeine. Johns Hopkins researcher Dr. Jason Rosenberg says that some headaches are caused by dilated blood vessels that put pressure on your brain. Caffeine constricts those vessels and relieves the pressure. So, sipping coffee at the first sign of a headache can ease your pain, but the blood vessels in people who consume lots of caffeine stop constricting when the caffeine levels in their body rise - so, stick to one cup a day so you don’t overdo it.


• The last headache cure proves just how connected the different parts of our bodies are: Peppermint tea. It soothes your stomach, which in turn heals your head. Dr.Audrey Halpern is the director of the Manhattan Center for Headache and Neurology. She says that the neurochemical changes related to headaches can stimulate the part of the brain that makes us feel nauseous. You can also get a headache when you’re nauseous, but since peppermint eases the spasms in your stomach, and those muscles send signals to your brain to stop the headache – sipping peppermint tea can make your head pain go away.

Helping Overweight Children Get Healthy

Childhood obesity affects many children. We also know that it can cause all kinds of health problems, from Type-2 diabetes to high blood pressure to kidney stones. When it comes to parenting overweight children, experts say that most times, we’re blowing it! Most parents know when their kids are heavier than they should be, but they don’t know what to do about it. One mother we read about was concerned when her already-chubby daughter became visibly heavier than her middle school classmates, but she didn’t want to say the wrong thing and make things worse. Even though some overweight kids slim down as they grow up, it’s not always the case. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an overweight preschooler has only a 30% chance of growing to be an obese adult, but an overweight teen has a 70% chance. So how can parents help their overweight kids?

• First, learn basic nutrition. Dr. David Ludwig is the director of the obesity clinic at Children’s Hospital in Boston. He says that many parents think that low-fat Twinkies, and low-fat microwave mac-and-cheese are healthy. Instead, make sure your child’s diet is filled with real food – lean meats, fruits, veggies, and whole grains like brown rice – not processed foods.


• The next way to help your overweight kids: Emphasize activity. If you’re lying on the couch and telling your kid to get some exercise, they’ll follow your example. Instead, do something together, like riding bikes, playing ball, or going for a walk. Turn off the TV. Studies show that kids who spend more than two hours a day watching TV or playing video games are more likely to be overweight.


• Don’t focus on the scale. Researchers found that focusing specifically on weight loss only makes kids feel bad about the way they look, and they’ll turn to a reliable source of comfort: food. Instead, focus on their health.

Thinking About Going Vegan?

Veganism isn’t just for hippies anymore! Hollywood celebrities, like Ellen DeGeneres and Tobey McGuire, are going vegan to slim down and get healthy. According to the National Restaurant Association, the hot new trend in the restaurant world is vegan entrees. However, veganism is still on the fringe for many eaters, so let’s see if we can bring it into the mainstream. Here are the answers to some common questions about vegans.

• How is being vegan different from being a vegetarian? The main difference is vegetarians avoid eating animals, while vegans don’t eat anything that even comes from an animal. That includes thing like honey, eggs and milk.


• Why bother? The truth is going vegan can be a hassle; you can’t just slap together a cheese sandwich when you’re hungry. The health benefits can be huge. Studies have shown that vegans have lower cholesterol and blood pressure and a lower risk for diabetes and some cancers. Why? Because vegans usually eat less saturated fat and more nutrients, fiber and vitamins. They also tend to eat fewer processed foods, which is where most of us get the bulk of the sodium, sugar and fat that we consume.


• Vegans also tend to weigh about 15% less than non-vegans, which is about 25 pounds on average. Not all of them. There is such a thing as a junk-food vegan. Think about it: there are no animal products in chips, and cookies made with coconut oil are technically vegan but they’re also high in calories, corn syrup and saturated fat. If you go vegan to lose weight, you need to fill up on healthy proteins like beans and tofu and eat junk-vegan food in moderation.


• Since vegans don’t eat animal protein, they miss out on some essential nutrients and can become anemic and lethargic. You can make up for it by eating a variety of fruits and veggies for essential nutrients, and soy and legumes for protein, iron and zinc. You might also need to eat nuts and flax seeds for vitamin B-12, an important nutrient that keeps you cells operating properly and is usually found in fish and eggs. For more tips on going vegan check out VeganSociety.com.

Natural Born Killers?

There's a glitch in the brain of violent criminals—but that doesn't mean they're insane. Is violent criminal behavior a mental disorder? A University of Southern California psychologist says yes--and he'll show you brain scans to back up his claim. Adrian Raine, Ph.D., led a team that compared brain activity in 22 murderers and 22 normal folks. Their tool of choice: the PET scan, an imaging technique that measures the brain's utilization of glucose, its primary fuel. The scans indicate which areas of the brain are active--and which are lying low. The researchers discovered that the prefrontal cortex, the brain region right behind the forehead, was less active in the murderers. Prefrontal deficiencies have been associated with a variety of behaviors--risk taking, rule breaking, aggression, and impulsivity--that can lead to violence. But there's a catch. The murderers in the study had all pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Might mental illness account for their abnormal PET scans? No, says Raine; insanity is a legal concept, not a medical condition. The variety of mental disorders the killers cited in their insanity pleas do not explain their lower prefrontal activity. If further studies confirm that murderers' brains are biologically different, does this mean that some of us are natural born killers? Not at all. Raine, who says his own brain scan resembles that of a man who killed 43 people, thinks that biological and environmental factors are both essential components of violent behavior. But the idea that killers' brains are different has profound implications for justice--and for rehabilitation. Cognitive remediation training has helped brain-injured patients recover lost function. If such therapy is able to help violent offenders beef up their brain to compensate for an underactive prefrontal cortex, the changes might show up on a PET scan. Come parole time, those scans could be far more convincing evidence of rehabilitation than a convict's professed remorse.

Foods That Last Forever

Have you ever been digging through your pantry and found a forgotten bag of rice or a box of sugar you bought when Ronald Reagan was president? If you’re like most people, you’ll automatically toss it, because it can’t still be good, right? Well, according to University of Arizona researcher Timothy Jones, that’s a big reason why North American families throw away 40% of what they buy. Oold doesn’t necessarily mean no good. Here’s a list of foods that’ll outlast you:

• Let’s start with the most famous: Honey. It made headlines when archeologists discovered a jar in King Tut’s tomb that was still edible! MicrobiologistSebastian Zaat says bacteria can’t grow in honey because it contains a protein called defensin-1 – which outperforms many man-made antibiotics. Honey can crystallize. The fix: Just set the jar in warm water, and stir until the grainy parts dissolve.


• Here’s another sweetener thatnever spoils: Sugar. Janice Revell started a website called StillTasty.com to help people make good choices about using food. She says that bacteria can’t survive in sugar because of its very low moisture content. If your brown sugar is more like a rock, zap it for one minute in the microwave on low.


• Forever food #3: Pure vanilla extract. It’s mostly alcohol, so bugs don’t stand a chance. At least, as long as you keep the bottle capped to preventevaporation. Not all non-perishables are sweet: Both salt and vinegar are so effective at staying germ-free that they’re used to preserve other things like meat and vegetables.


• The last forever-food is a well-know staple: Rice. Again, because of the low moisture content, uncooked rice will last indefinitely. The exception is brown rice. It contains enough oil to support bacteria growth, and will turn rancid over time. So, you should use it within three months - or freeze it for up to one year.