Study: Snoring in Kids Linked to Problem Behavior
Snoring kids may be prone to behavioral problems. Researchers say that toddlers who snore loudly at least a couple times a week tend to have more problems with inattention, hyperactivity, and depression than their non-snoring peers. Findings were published Monday in Pediatrics. The researchers also highlighted factors that might make persistent snoring more likely: low socioeconomic status, race, and exposure to environmental smoke. "Snoring is cute in comics or cartoons, but in reality it's not normal for kids to snore for weeks or months on end," study author Dean Beebe, director of the neuropsychology program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, told HealthDay. "Snoring can disrupt the quality of sleep, and a tired toddler has a much lower tolerance for frustration. When you add chronicity to the problem, over time, that lack of sleep sets up negative interactions within the toddler's environment, which may change the way they respond."
How To Make Love Last
First, the bad news: Tons of Americans are unhappy with their love lives. Now, for the good news: It's very often fixable.
The aptly-titled movie, Hope Springs, exemplifies that trajectory through the hard-won reconnection of Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones). Thirty-one years of marriage have left the couple bereft of any connection and mired in excruciating monotony: Each morning Kay fries one egg and a strip of bacon for Arnold, who hardly notices her, and the days end with their retreat to separate bedrooms. They haven't had sex in nearly five years.
Desperate for physical and emotional intimacy, Streep's character, though timid and traditional, plunks her savings into a weeklong retreat to rescue their marriage, despite her husband's disgust at the notion. What happens next are the heart-wrenching heroics of a couple working to find each other again after years of hurt, anger, and, ultimately, withdrawal.
Although this plot line often escapes the happily-ever-after mantra of so many Hollywood rom-coms, the story will likely resonate with the many longtime couples who have wrestled to reclaim lost love. And for those who hope to attain lasting, loving partnerships. The screenplay actually developed from the writer's own soul-searching after a series of ill-fated relationships. The resulting film reconceptualizes romantic partnership as less fairy tale and more deliberate, in which we "choose our partner every day," Vanessa Taylor tells U.S. News. And she projected those values onto a more seasoned couple, for whom the effort would be tougher but the reward, perhaps, sweeter. [Read more: How To Make Love Last]
3 Ways to Get Fast Food From Your Garden
You'd think if anyone were eating healthy meals every day, it would be me, the biodynamic farmer and green business owner, wouldn't you? My entire business day is spent showing individuals, communities, and companies how to grow their own food, Daron (Farmer D) Joffe writes for U.S. News. Enjoying such bounty should be my standard operating procedure, right?
Complete honesty here. Just like many of you, my days require long hours, lots of travel, and many meals in restaurants or conference rooms where I often don't have a say as to what's available. Many days, I arrive home after dark, and those precious moments I like to spend in my garden or preparing fresh food don't always happen. Plus, now with a wife who has her own business as well—and did I mention our new baby?—we're pretty much stretched to the limit.
Is there room in this lifestyle for cooking from scratch with ingredients we grow ourselves? Not only is there room, there is necessity. If there's one thing I've learned through the years, it's that getting proper nutrition on a daily basis is a priority for keeping the pace required for my business. I've also learned that honoring my food is important to me, and I've developed some tricks for making it easy to do so. Want fast food that's also fresh and healthy? Here are some ideas that might fit your busy lifestyle:
1. Take two hours each week to process. Let your garden know you mean business. Slice, dice, sauté, purée, bake, and roast your weekly bounty. You simply won't believe how much you can get done in this time frame. The simple practice of dedicating this small window to processing your home-grown food stands the chance of becoming two of your favorite hours of the week. It's a time to be quiet, let light stream in the window, and honor the fruits (and veggies) of your labor. Or, perhaps, it's a time to catch up with your family, watch your favorite show, listen to some beloved music, or even visit with friends or neighbors as you invite them into your kitchen. [Read more: 3 Ways to Get Fast Food From Your Garden]
Angela Haupt is a health reporter for U.S. News & World Report. You can follow her on Twitter or reach her at ahaupt@usnews.com.
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