Beware! UV Rays Of The Sun Can Actually Damage Your Eyes: What You Should Know

Not only can the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays harm your skin, they can damage your eyes as well. For protection, says the American Academy of Ophthalmology, wear sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. Retailers say that requires a rating of UV400 or higher. Over time, sun exposure can increase your chances of developing eye disease such as cataracts, growths on the eye, macular degeneration and even a rare form of cancer, ocular melanoma, according to the academy. In addition, eye “sunburn” — known…

Do You Schedule Your Free Time? Don’t! Study Suggests It Could Make You Unhappy

Your social calendar might be sucking the joy out of activities that are supposed to be fun or relaxing, according to an upcoming paper co-written by a professor who studies time management. The paper argues that when a leisure activity is planned rather than spontaneous, we enjoy it less. That’s because we tend to mentally lump all our scheduled activities in the same bucket – whether it’s a dentist appointment or grabbing coffee with a friend. And that makes the pleasurable activities more of a chore. “It becomes a part…

Did You Know: Jet Lag Can Affect More Than Just Your Sleep Cycle

Jet lag can put the brakes on the most exciting vacations. Almost everyone who has ever flown across time zones knows what it feels like. The experience ranks somewhere between eating day-old cooked oatmeal and nursing a hangover. These food and drink metaphors aren’t just a coincidence. Jet lag, it turns out, affects more than our sleep; it affects our internal organs as well. Given what is known about the importance of intestinal bacteria (called the microbiome) and their connection to immune function and well-being, it’s clear that any discussion…

Parenthood Is A Rollercoaster Ride, Prepare Yourself For It With Your Kids

Parenthood comes with countless surprises. Most involve bodily fluids. Like, for instance, the sudden lack of opportunities for Mom and Dad to sweat. “We both used to get up in the morning and just go exercise,” explains Amanda Holliday, a dance fitness teacher whose son was born in 2016. “That’s not happening anymore.” Even if it’s possible to tote the kid along for a workout, there’s a lot more to consider beyond your number of reps — and a lot more to cram into your gym bag. And although it…

Wish To Keep Your Brain Healthy? Take Care Of Your Heart First

It turns out maintaining low blood pressure does not just help prevent heart attacks — it can also keep your mind sharp. Research presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Chicago found that at-risk people whose blood pressure was kept lower than the recommended level had a significant reduction in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the precursor to dementia. The research was part of the federally funded Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), a large-scale, long-term clinical study that also measured the effects of lower blood pressure on cardiovascular…

Walk Barefoot On The Grass, It Can Improve Your Health

It is not a secret that spending time in nature is good for you. For years, researchers have been detailing how people who live near green spaces – parks, greenbelts, tree-lined streets, rural landscapes – have better physical and mental health, and practices such as Japanese forest bathing and Nordic hygge, which has a strong outdoorsy component, are being embraced here in the United States. Could grounding be next? I was intrigued when a colleague recently recommended a mutual patient – seeing her for stress management and me for nutritional…