Health News: 18

18

The percent increase in stroke risk for folks who don’t eat breakfast versus those who do. Experts think it may be because eating helps prevent spikes in blood pressure. So how do you like your eggs? —Stroke

Veggie Swap to Banish Bloat

Popeye must have been on to something! One easy way to get rid of belly bulge is to eat more spinach and less broccoli. While the latter is good for you, you’ll consume less raffinose, a complex sugar in broccoli, which breaks down in the large intestine, causing gas. —Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Help for Dry Eye

Springtime airborne allergens exacerbate the redness, burning and gritty feeling associated with dry eye. To combat it, try lubricating eye drops and consider using a humidifier in the bedroom. And also, omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon and walnuts, are said to help. —University of Miami

Job Making You Fat?

Yes—if you work more than 40 hours per week. Research shows that people who labor longer are 8 percent more likely to be obese. Just remember: You’re not getting paid by the pound. —Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 Meditate for Better Sleep

You know meditation reduces stress and improves concentration, but did you know that it helps you sleep better? A study found that mindfulness meditation improved sleep quality among its participants. —JAMA Internal Medicine

60 Seconds 

The time it takes to kill the bacteria—salmonella and E. Coli— found on typical kitchen sponges. In one study of 325 sponges, 15.4 percent were found to contain bacteria. The fix? Regularly nuke sponges on high for one minute. —University of Arizona

Hear Ye, Hear Ye 

Here’s another reason to break open that bottle of red wine. One study found that rodents given large amounts of resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, showed delays in age-related hearing loss. —Neurobiology of Aging

29

The percentage of college students in a survey of 7,000 who think stimulants, drugs prescribed to treat conditions such as ADHD, boost grades. When not used properly, those drugs raise blood pressure and heart rate and can even hinder sleep. —University of Maryland

A Natural High

Folks who gaze at a beautiful sunset, birds outside a window or a gorgeous field of flowers, then snapped a picture and posted it to Instagram, recording their feelings about the shots, were happier and more likely to be connected to other people than those folks who did the same with man-made objects. —University of British Columbia