Greetings, health enthusiasts! Erin Donnelly and Lauren Tuck here, filling in for Kaitlin Reilly, who is on vacation, which is highly encouraged by our team as taking time off is good for your well-being. According to Pew Research Center, nearly half of all workers who get paid time off from their jobs are forfeiting vacation hours. Need some ideas? Slip on a swimsuit and hit the beach (but wearing sunscreen is a must!), find a hobby or just rot in bed watching the Olympics — there’s no right way to take a break. While you’re planning your next escape, keep these wellness tips top of mind, and as always check the weather in your area — and your horoscope, if you’re so inclined.
🍨 Cut back on sugar
The next time you’re heaping sugar into your morning coffee, consider this: Research from the University of California, San Francisco, has found that reducing your daily sugar intake by 10 grams — roughly just over two teaspoons — could turn back your biological clock by 2.4 months. For context, a can of soda contains about 39 grams of sugar, and a chocolate bar has about 25 grams (which means eating a few squares for dessert instead of the whole thing is a step in the right direction). — E.D.
🥓 Eat less bacon
If you needed a nudge to reconsider your bacon consumption, this is it. Research presented at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference has found that eating processed meat ages the brain, contributing to a higher risk of dementia. What can you do about it? According to researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, replacing one daily serving of processed meat (which amounts to two slices of bacon, one hot dog, two small sausage links or two ounces of deli meat) with tofu, beans or nuts reduced a person’s dementia risk by 20%. Something to think about the next time you’re whipping up a club sandwich for lunch. — E.D.
🟤 Avoid cinnamon
At the risk of putting you off of your apple pie or cinnamon toast, it’s worth doing a quick check to make sure the ground cinnamon you’re using is safe. As part of a months-long investigation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a new alert warning about elevated lead levels in a number of ground cinnamon products. If you find one on the list in your spice rack, be sure to stop using it and toss it out immediately, as lead toxicity can cause adverse health symptoms, especially for young children. — E.D.
🇩🇪 Move to Germany
My son is 7 months old and still hasn’t slept through the night. My toddler is, well, toddlering, and I am tired. I’m powering through, because I live in the United States, but I’m considering a move to Germany after learning about what prescriptions harried parents like me can get. As CNN reports, doctors can write an Rx for “Kur,” translated as cure, a four-week spa break to be taken at one of the country’s 350 spa towns with “Heilbad,” or healing baths. Oh, and it’s also all covered by health insurance. — L.T.
📱 Hope-scroll
Is your social media feed a mix of alarming news headlines, fiery debates and influencers you can’t help but compare yourself with? It’s time to adjust that algorithm to something more positive. Experts tell Yahoo Life that hope-scrolling (think puppy videos, Team USA TikToks, etc.) can help counteract the negative ways in which doom-scrolling impacts our mental health. Following accounts you find upbeat (and muting those you don’t) should make your time online more joyful. — E.D.
🍳 Consider switching out your nonstick pans
Even using a nonstick pan, my omelets come out looking more scrambled. With “Teflon flu” on the rise, is it time to switch to more traditional cookware? But what is Teflon flu and how concerned do I need to be? (Because, truthfully, I need all the help I can get in the kitchen.) According to America’s Poison Centers, there were 265 suspected cases of polymer fume fever in 2023, the highest number of cases since 2000, Good Morning America reports. Polymer fume fever is caused by overheating pans coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and symptoms include chest tightness, coughing, difficulty breathing and headaches. The simple answer on tossing? If you have a traditional nonstick pan made before 2015, it’s best to get buying. But follow these tips — and, experts agree, proceed with caution. — L.T.
💋 Kiss for 6 seconds
Six seconds is all it takes to turn your mood around, so find your partner and do-si-do! Couples therapists and clinical psychologists John and Julie Gottman pioneered the exercise that’s all about intentional intimacy. The married couple, the Associated Press reports, have studied more than 3,000 couples over 30 years and found that six seconds is the golden amount of time to release oxytocin. Is it silly? Sure! And the Gottmans know that. But who doesn’t have six seconds to spare for a smooch? It’s worth a shot! — L.T.
🔙 Sleep with your spine in a neutral position
is your back out of whack? The way you’re sleeping might be making it worse. According to VeryWellHealth, it’s best to sleep with your spine and head in a neutral position — think chin up, shoulders down and aligned with the hips, relaxed knees and a straight back. A pillow — sandwiched between the knees as you sleep on your side — can help keep the body properly aligned, which is especially important if you’re prone to back and neck pain. — E.D.
