Taking our pulse
Family dinner a thing of the past
Home cooking just isn’t what it used to be. Only 54 percent of Americans eat a meal at the table with their families “most days.” According to a recent survey, 65 percent say they eat alone a few days a week or more. One-third eat out at least a few days a week, and 61 percent eat out a minimum of once a week.
— Adapted from American Demographics
Feel the burn…but not for long
If you suffer a minor burn at home, please don’t reach for the butter — regardless of what your grandmother might have told you. Butter will cause the heat to remain in the burn. Physicians at the Mayo Clinic instead suggest putting the burn under running water for 15–20 minutes to cool it, applying lotion or a moisturizer, and wrapping the burn in a loose, sterile gauze bandage.
— Adapted from The Saturday Evening Post
Hiccups? Try this…
The next time you get the hiccups, explore these possible remedies: breathe into a paper bag, swallowbread, bite into a lemon, or pull gently on your tongue.
Other common ailments and some potential cures:
- Bloody nose — Pinch just above the nostrils with your thumb and index finger, and hold for at least four minutes. Sit down, avoid blowing your nose for several hours, and don’t drink hot liquids, which could trigger more bleeding. Don’t tilt your head back. This could make blood flow into your lungs, leading to pneumonia.
- A sneeze — When you feel that first tingle, pinch the tip of your nose. If you tend to have long sneezing jags, blow your nose frequently to clear your nostrils of irritants. Never try to stop a sneeze once it starts; it could cause a nose bleed or damage your eardrums.
- Heartburn — If you don’t have any antacid, mix half a teaspoon of baking soda with 4 ounces of water and drink it. This will neutralize the stomach acids that back up into your esophagus. Drink the mixture as needed every two hours.
— Adapted from Good Housekeeping
Our growing children
Children under the age of 2 are eating too much fat, sugar, and salt, and they aren’t consuming enough fruits and vegetables, a study shows. A significant number of infants are eating French fries, pizza, candy, and soda, according to a study, which queried the parents of 3,000 children. Children ages 1–2 require about 950 calories a day, but thestudy found the median intake for that age group is 1,220 calories.
— Adapted from The Associated Press
Your plastic water bottle could be hurting you
If you’re refilling your plastic water bottle and reusing it over and over again, you might want to reconsider. Researchers at the University of Idaho have discovered that once plastic bottles are exposed to sunlight, heat, or repeated rinsing, potentially toxic compounds from the plastic could be seeping into the water.
The recommendation? Reuse the bottle for no longer than one week before replacing it.
— Adapted from Self
Holding a grudge can be bad for your health 
A recent study asked 71 people to mentally relive a hurtful memory, such as feeling betrayed, insulted, or lied to. Next, the participants were asked to add two endings to the memory, one in which they held a grudge and one in which they did not. Researchers then measured their vital statistics.
When participants visualized holding a grudge, their heart rates and blood pressure were two times higher than when they did not. Those holding a grudge also tended to sweat more and feel more hostile and out of control.
Forgiveness, it seems, is one of nature’s best remedies.
— Adapted from Prevention