IT'S A BOY Your mindset may predict your baby’s sex. It’s not clear how, but in hard times (famine, war), more girl babies are born than boys; the ratio flips when the living’s easy. Now it seems that a women’s mindset—specifically, her belief about how long she will live—may be a predictor of her firstborn’s sex. In a study of 600 mothers, the likelihood of a woman bearing a son increased by 1
percent for each additional year she believed she’d be around. University of Kent biological anthropologist Sarah E. Johns, Ph.D., thinks a woman subconsciously incorporates knowledge of family health history and environmental adversity into her sense of how long she’ll live.
-Health
MINDFUL EATING A day or two before you take a long trip, start adjusting your meal times so you’re eating at the same time you’ll be eating at your destination. Studies found this resets the liver’s “clock,” which helps avoid the digestive distress associated with jet lag.
-Research at the University
of Virginia, Charlottesville
TOP 10 HEALTHIEST FOODS Researchers at the University of Oslo wanted to know which foods have the highest concentration of antioxidants, the natural chemicals in food that make it healthy and prevent disease, so they tested 1,113 common foods and drinks, from apples to
waffles. Their findings: Ounce for ounce, spices, herbs, nuts and seeds pack the most nutrients. But if we’re talking typical serving size, berries (five different kinds) also dominate the top ranks. The most surprising find? Chocolate ice cream rated higher than fruits like honeydew and green grapes! Here, the best 10 foods to eat to “anti” up:
Blackberries 1 cup
Walnuts 1 ounce, 15-20 halves
Strawberries 1 cup sliced
Artichoke hearts 1 cup
Cranberries 1 cup, whole
Brewed coffee 8 ounces
Raspberries 1 cup
Pecans 1 ounce, 20 jumbo kernels
Blueberries 1 cup
Ground cloves 1 teaspoon
-Fitness
BONUS BENEFIT Strength training may be
a calorie-torcher after all, a study from the University of Southern Maine at Gorham reveals. Scientists tracking lactic acid in lifters’ muscles, as well as oxygen used, found that lifting burned up to 39 percent more calories than typically thought. The ultimate get-slim routine? Cardio and weights.
-Self
A TRICK TO REMEMBER At work, squeeze a tennis ball in your right hand whenever you’re reading important documents. This will stimulate the left side of your brain, which processes words.
