PREVENT EXERCISE WITHDRAWAL Before you skip your next workout, consider this: In a study of people who exercise at least three days a week, those who stopped their routine complained of fatigue after missing just three sessions. “By the second workout-free week, subjects reported feelings of sadness and guilt,” says Ali Berlin, who conducted the study. The bottom line: If you’re traveling or pressed for time, doing a shortened workout is better than ditching it altogether.
—Fitness
HELMET HOW-TO'S Parents think their kids use safety gear such as helmets more often than they actually do, finds a
University of Michigan study of more than 700 fourth- and fifth-graders and 329 of their parents. About 70 percent of parents said their child always wears a bike helmet, but only 51 percent actually did. Here’s a quick refresher on helmet how-to’s:
When to wear one: Strap on a helmet when doing anything on wheels (bicycling, skateboarding, in-line skating), horseback riding, playing baseball or football, snowboarding or skiing.
Use the eyes, ears and mouth rule: The helmet rim should be one to two finger-widths above the eyebrows. The straps should form a V under your child’s earlobes. When she opens her mouth, the straps should be snug on her chin. Use the extra pads to ensure a good fit.
Set an example: Kids are more likely to wear a helmet when they see Mom and Dad wear them too.
—Prevention
PICK A LEANER BURGER Your choice of burgers for the summer grill can make a big difference in your daily saturated fat total. You can skip almost all the saturated fat with a substitute for beef.
Hamburger (4 oz): 351 calories, 19 g fat, 7 g sat fat Veggie Burger (2.5 oz): 90 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g sat fat Turkey Burger* (4 oz): 120 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat *Ground white meat, 99 percent fat-free.
—Prevention
LULLABIES: NOT JUST FOR BABIES Listening to soft music for 45 minutes before bedtime can slow your breathing and heartrate, helping you drift off faster and slumber soundly.
—Case Western Reserve University
ROADSIDE STATISTICS An average of 117 people die on U.S. roads every day. There are more deaths during the summer and fall than during winter and spring, and the most fatalities occur on the Fourth of July because of drunk driving. More deaths occur on Saturday than any other day of the week.
—Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Washington, D.C.
