Did you know that reading before you go to sleep may cause insomnia? Researchers at the Medical College of Virginia and Laval University in Quebec found that reading, snacking, and watching TV in bed were all related to insomnia. Their recommendation for a good night's sleep? Use the bed for sleep and sex only, keep regular hours, exercise, and limit caffeine and alcohol consumption; all improved sleep habits.

Researchers find that working together reduced blood pressure! A recent study published in the American Journal of Hypertension found that men and women with mild hypertension who worked side by side with their spouses on projects and have close relationships, have significantly lower blood pressures than those with less cohesive marriages. Good projects to start with your spouse include gardening, daily exercise sessions, cooking dinner together, and housework. These couples also seemed to be happier and enjoyed each other's company more.

Even though time for exercising is limited, reserve 5 minutes for stretching and walking before getting into the meat of a workout and another 5 minutes for a stretch and warm down after exercising. Warming up is important because it helps to increase muscle temperature and flexibility, thus lowers the chance for injury, aids in the delivery of fuel to the muscles, causes the cooling system (the sweat glands) to turn on, and helps to protect muscles against excessive soreness. Warm downs have been shown to prevent long-term injury and have all the benefits of the warm up.

Here is a tip for surviving the snack bar at the movies. Movie popcorn is not a low fat treat. Even a bucket WITHOUT butter has 360 calories and 22 grams of fat. If you are craving salt, try a baked soft pretzel instead. If you can't live through a movie without popcorn, get a kid's size to reduce your fat and calorie intake.

Are you taking herbs? It is important to fess up to your doctor. A recent study found that 30% of patients taking medicinal herbs (including St. John's Wort, Valerian, Echinacea, and ginko) don't tell their physicians. It is important for physicians to know because some herbs do not mix well with traditional medications, and they can cause unwanted and even dangerous side effects.

Did you know that if you are not going to use olive oil within a month after purchasing, refrigerate it. The oils high in monounsaturated fats break down faster than other oils.

Kitchen safety is important to avoid food borne illness. Here are some tips to help keep yourself and kitchen items free of bacteria: wash your hands OFTEN and THOROUGHLY, wash dishcloths and kitchen towels often on the hot cycle to kill bacteria, be sure clean dishes are fully dry before putting them away, use a meat thermometer every time you cook meat. Cook steak to at least 145 degrees, hamburgers and pork to at least 160, and chicken to 170 for white meat and 180 for dark.

It is important to read the label every time you fill a prescription. Drug labeling information changes frequently so keep yourself up to date!

Your high fat chocolate chip cookies can actually be low in fat!! Just substitute 3/4 cup applesauce and 3 tablespoons margarine or butter for all of the butter and proceed with the rest of the regular recipe. You will save calories and about 10 grams of fat per cookie!

Stomach ulcers are caused by a bacteria called H. pylori. According to a CDC survey, only 1 in 4 people know that! Over the counter antacids will not cure ulcers; a prescription medication is needed to kill the bacteria that causes them.

A recent study at Brown University showed that women who exercised 2-3 hours a week when they quit smoking were significantly more likely to remain smoke free and year later than their non-exercising counterparts. In addition, the group of women who exercised only gained 7 pounds compared to the 14 pounds the other group.

If you suffer from allergies, your indoor environment may be causing as many problems as the great outdoors. Here are the culprits: dust mites in your bed linens; noxious gases coming from poorly vented furnaces, gas appliances, and wood stoves; mold and spores from firewood and soil around house plants; and roaches and roach sprays. The solutions? Wash bed linens in hot water (check to be sure your how water heater is set for 130oF, get your appliances, furnace, etc inspected (check for radon while you are at it), dispose of moist firewood and repot house plants frequently, and get rid of roaches (using powders or sprays) - but clean up the spray and powder residue thoroughly afterwards.

A new study at the University of Texas at Austin that surveyed 21,000 people nation-wide, found that American adults who have day-to-day involvement in a religious community lived an average of 7 years longer. Those who attended religious services at least once a week had an average 14 year longer life-span than those who did not attend services. The results were even stronger for African Americans. The reason why remains a mystery.

Did you know that eating fish may lower your risk for oral and digestive tract cancers? A recent study in Milan, Italy that studied the fish eating habits of 18,000 people, found that those who ate fish once a week had a 30% lower risk of esophageal cancer than those who ate none. Additionally, those who ate 2 or more servings had a 50% lower risk of mouth and throat cancers! Researchers are not sure the reason but speculate that fatty acids in seafood inhibit tumor growth. It is possible that fish eaters have other healthy habits that protect them from cancer.

Soy milk can be an excellent source of calcium - but it has to be fortified. Check the label to find out. Fortified soy milk can have up to 30% of the recommended daily dose - just like milk, which also has 30%. Fortified orange juice, cereal, and tofu are also good sources of calcium.

Do you snore? The following can help you and your partner get a good nights sleep: sleep on your side or back (sew a tennis ball sized pocket and put the ball in it to keep you from turning over), stop smoking, get enough sleep - too little sleep makes snoring worse, lose weight - especially if you are significantly overweight or have a very thick neck (17 inches for men and 13 for women), adopt an active lifestyle. If these don't work, you may need to talk to your doctor or dentist.

Another reason not to clean your plate when you are eating out. The average size of a restaurant plate has grown to a whopping 12 inches. Chances are your plates at home are only about 9-10 inches. Those extra inches can make a big difference in portion sizes! Watch out and don't scrape your plate clean!

A quick cooking tip - - to measure the proper amount of flour first stir it with a spoon, gently mount into a measuring cup until it is brimming over and level with a straight edge. Simply scooping it from the bag or your countertop container will yield as much as two times the amount you need. Now you know why your latest cake was dry!

Did you know that the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns? Experts do - they know that your metabolic rate, how many calories your body burns a day, increases when you add muscle. Need any more reason for adding three 20 minutes weight training sessions a week to your regular exercise program?

A recent study at Duke University Medical Center investigated a group of elderly people. They asked 1/3 of them to exercise, put 1/3 of them on anti-depressant medication, and had 1/3 of them on medication plus exercise. The study determined that exercise treated mild depression the same as medication! The participants in this study either walked or ran several times a week. Move to get happy!