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h e a lt h yS ta r tHeadGameBig FishYou’ve probably heard that fish oil is good for your heart.New research suggests this could be because it helps you remaincalm under fire. Researchers measured the heart rates and nervoussystem responses of 64 people after they solved several mathproblems. Half the group then took 9,000 milligrams of fish oil aday for eight weeks, while the others consumed the same amount ofolive oil. When they took the math test again, those who’d taken fishoil had significantly lower heart rates and nervous system responsesafter the test, compared with the others.Source: American Journal of Physiology40Source: RadiologyHelping HandDoing good for others may also begood for you. In a study of 1,654people over age 50, those who hadvolunteered 200 hours or morein the last year—that’s about fourhours a week—lowered their risk ofdeveloping high blood pressure by40% over the next four years.Source: Psychology and AgingWe b M D . c o m7October 2013Percentage of“designateddrivers” whodrink while onduty. Just onedrink can causeimpairment ofdriving-relatedabilities, such ascoordinationand focus.Source: Journal of Studies onAlcohol and DrugsClockwise from top: omer sukru goksu/Getty Images; Yunus Arakon/Getty Images; Fancy Photography/Veer; Exactostock/Superstock/Glow ImagesSoccer playersmight want to limitthe number oftimes they heada ball in practiceand save it for thegame. Amateurplayers whoheaded the ballmore than 1,000times in the pastyear had poorerneurocognitiveperformance,including memory,than those whoheaded theball less often, astudy found.

Clockwise from top left: David Bases/Getty Images; Justin Horrocks/Getty Images; photovideostock/Getty Images; Lachlan Currie/Getty ImagesCitySlickerDog ShowThey may be noisy andcrowded, but big citiesare safer to live in thanrural areas, a studyshows. While murderand suicide rates arehigher in cities, in ruralareas the risk of deathby accidental injury is 15times greater than therisk of death by murder.Those accidentaldeaths, mostly fromcar crashes, guns, andpoisonings, are 20%more common in thecountry than in the city.Number of children treatedin emergency rooms annuallyfor TV-related injuries,most due to falling TVs.Source: Annals of Emergency MedicineSource: PediatricsThink of your dog as your baby? The feeling is probablymutual. Researchers have found that dogs develop thesame kind of attachment to their owners that children havefor their caregivers. Like children in the presence of theirparents, dogs feel more comfortable exploring and are moreinterested in working for a reward when their owners arearound. While kids grow out of this attachment, dogs don’t:They’ll always be your babies.Source: PLOS One17,313.comHot HitsWhat’s trending onWebMD.com right now*Tough Love?Think long-distance relationships rarely workout? Think again. In a study, 63 couples kept a diaryfor one week of all their interactions, includingcalls, video chats, texts, instant messaging, emails,and face-to-face encounters. Those in long-distancerelationships reported sharing personal thoughtsand feelings with their partners more often thanthose in geographically close relationships. Thelong-distance daters felt their partners were moreopen, too, which increased their feelings of intimacy.Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder.Source: Journal of CommunicationOctober 20138We b M D . c o mHow much watershould I drink?Spider bite symptomsHow to lose belly fatBirth order andpersonalityMilk thistle’s benefitsWhat do panic attacksfeel like?Chia for weight lossFood poisoning factsWhat is sleep apnea?Quality sleep, qualityrelationship*as of July 1, 2013

!JumpstartThe essential iPhoneapp for people living withchronic pain. Personal journal to easilylog pain levels, triggers, andmore. Daily tips approved byWebMD doctors to help youmeet your goals. Articles, slideshows, andvideos related to yourcondition. Custom reports for betterdiscussions with your doctor.Sister ActFor many parents, refereeing siblingsquabbles is all in a day’s work, butthat doesn’t mean sibling aggressionis harmless. New research showssibling bullying can be just asdamaging as bullying by peers. In astudy of 3,599 children, those who’dbeen victims of sibling aggressionin the past year reported poorermental health than those whogot along with their brothers andsisters. If parents see their childrenare unable to resolve a conflict, theycan take the opportunity to teachrelationship skills like negotiation,compromise, and understandinganother’s perspective.Source: PediatricsA Better Day Starts Here.Percentageof Americansage 18 andover whosmokecigarettes,downslightly frompreviousyearsSource: CDC19Daily dose. That’s whatyou can get right nowon your iPhone withour redesigned andreimagined WebMD app,now ready for download(or updating) from theiTunes store.I’ve never seen ahealth app quite likethis, and I’m hooked.It’s like having yourown personal health“magazine.” Here’s howit works: First, choosethe lifestyle topicsthat interest you themost—fitness & exercise,healthy eating, parenting& family, beauty, sex &relationships, or men’sstyle (pick ‘em all if youwant). Then chooseyour goals—balancelife, lose weight, savemoney, reduce stress,stay healthy, sleepbetter—and sign intoyour WebMD account tosave your selections, andvoilà, the app serves upall kinds of multimediainfo and tools in eachcategory, with a newbatch every day.Just swipe your waythrough tips, fun facts,news items, articles,and links to slideshowsand newsletter signups.Most everything is short,digestible, motivational,and easy to remember,just the right amount ofinformation you want ona phone. And you cansave everything for easyaccess right in the app,or text, tweet, or email toyourself or anyone else.Check it out every dayfor a week or two, thenlet me know if you love itas much as I do.Colleen ParettyEditorial Directorcolleen@webmd.comTop: Jamie Grill/Getty Images; Bottom: Plain Picture/Glow ImagesNEWh e a lt h yS ta r t

h e a lt h yS ta r tPersonal BestJudy GreerThe actor shares her healthyliving habitsGreer starsin the remakeof Carrie, whichopens thismonth.Pantry Picks“I always have wineor Champagne, Dijonmustard, and honey onhand. The last two makegreat salad dressing withlemon juice and olive oil.”“I make weights out ofbottles of red wineor water.”De-stress Strategies“I do Bikram yoga, andit’s been saving mylife lately. I try to doit three days a week.With Bikram, I knowwhat I’m going to getin the way of a class,no matter what townI’m in or what country.It helps me sleepat night.”Top 3 Makeup Musts“It’s got to be mascara,eyebrow pencil,and Fresh Sugar LipTreatment SPF 15 inSugar Rosé and SugarBerry. Uh-oh—this isfour—my blush.”Dinner Time“At home I make‘garbage salad’ with alot of leftovers mixedwith kale, spinach,romaine, and rice.Leftovers depend onwhat I made for the kidspreviously, but usuallya little meat. And I eatfeta cheese everyday of my life.”With more than 80 film and television roles to her credit,Judy Greer, 38, isn’t fazed playing Miss Desjardin in theremake of the horror movie classic Carrie, opening thismonth, then taking on the role of female chimp Cornelia inthe action film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, set for releasenext July. Her other recent big-screen titles include Playingfor Keeps; Jeff, Who Lives at Home; and The Descendants.Look for Greer’s first book, I Don’t Know What You KnowMe From: Confessions of a Co-Star, a collection of humorousessays, in 2014. She voices Cheryl in FX’s animated sitcomseries Archer and continues as assistant and mistress KittySanchez in Arrested Development on Netflix. Greer alsohosts her own Yahoo! webisode series, Reluctantly Healthy.Born in Detroit, this former classical Russian ballet student is now stepmom to two teenagers.—Stephanie StephensWe b M D . c o m10October 2013Work It Out“I used to run and amstill trying to do a littlebit. I have an easier timeexercising on locationwhen I don’t have towork all day. I alwaysbring spinning shoes andtry to spin at new places.I’m a huge fan of workoutDVDs. I make weights outof bottles of red wineor water.”Clockwise from center: Jenny Podushko/Getty Images; Daniel Loiselle/Getty Images; Ocean Photography/Veer; Nicholas Eveleigh/Getty Images; hoch2wo/VeerAdvice Column“Drink a ton of water, usemoisturizer and sunscreen,and make yourself sweatonce a day—the last one ismy husband’s advice. Also,wash your face every nightbefore bed.”

livingh e a lt h yChillOut12 On the StreetLeave yourself opento new possibilitiesExpert tips for anoutdoorsy mom14 Men’s HealthCalling allsingle dadsEXPERT TIP“To meet new people, you have to try newactivities. If you like hiking, join a hiking group.If you’re religious, try a new church.”—NicoleZangara, LCSWPhotograph by Brigitte Sporrer/Getty ImagesOctober 201311We b M D . c o m

EARTHMOTHERWe pound thepavement to getexpert answersto your pressinghealth questionsLIVINGH E A LT H YGAME CHANGER“Remember that ‘mental aerobics’are just as important as physicalaerobics for your parents.Encourage social activities thatstimulate both their minds and theirbodies, such as inviting them to aweekly family game night.”Read moreexpert advicein our freeiPad app!Lisa Hollis-Sawyer, PhDGerontology Program coordinator,Northeastern Illinois UniversityPhotograph by Forrest MacCormackFLY AWAY“Look for EPA-registeredrepellents such as DEETand Picaridin. The EPAregistration number [inthe ingredients sectionof the product label]tells you the agencyhas determined therepellent poses minimalrisk and is effective forat least two hours ifapplied according tothe directions. You canuse DEET and Picaridinon children as young as2 months.”CLEAR THE AIR“During the winter, the hot airblowing out of the furnace is verydry—and that can cause drynessand cracking of the lining of thenose. You can combat this with ahumidifier or vaporizer in your kids’bedrooms. But you’re right—youhave to keep the devices clean.Once a week, take each humidifierapart and wipe down every surfacewith diluted bleach. If you don’t,mold will build up, which cancause allergies and otherhealth problems.”Joseph Conlontechnical adviser, American MosquitoControl AssociationRoy Benaroch, MDpediatrician and assistant clinicalprofessor of pediatrics, Emory UniversityLIFE’S LESSONS“You can teach children empathy—the ability to see the world throughanother’s eyes—through literature.For example, while reading TheVelveteen Rabbit, you could askwhat the little boy felt when helost his rabbit and how the rabbitfelt when the boy left him behind.To develop grit, put emphasis onperseverance. Encourage yourson as he sounds out a new word,expressing pride in his efforts.”Leslie Becker-Phelps, PhDpsychologist and author, WebMD’sThe Art of Relationships blogWEBMD ON THE STREETCourtney PollackDirector of Product Management, 34Silver Spring, Md.Want to be the nextWebMD on the Streetstar? Tweet us yourhealth issues at@WebMD. We might@WebMDcome to your city!Courtney Pollack and her husband,Saul, have always had an affinityfor the great outdoors. And, livingin the backyard of the nation’scapital, they want their sons, Sam,3, and Benji, 7 months, to hike, fish,and grow to lead active lifestylestoo. “How can we do this with allthe technological distractions kidsface?” she asks. On the flip side,her tech-savvy parents are enteringtheir golden years, and she wantsto help them keep moving as well.But being outside has its drawbacks.“The area has way too manymosquitoes! How can we safely andeffectively protect our family fromthese pests?” Her health concernsdon’t fly out the window as warmerweather wanes. Pollack wants toknow, “Do humidifiers in toddlers’and infants’ rooms during thewinter months help prevent illness?They are a maintenance headache!”She also worries about the boys’emotional health: “Empathy andgrit are two important qualities thatwe’d like to instill in our children,”she says. “How can we successfullydo that?” And while this workingmom is trying to move mountains,she’s also trying to find muchneeded “me time.” She asks, “Whatare the best workouts to positivelyimpact my health and energy levels?—Rebecca ScherrTHE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS SECTIONARE OF THE EXPERTS AND ARE NOT THEOPINIONS OF WEBMD. WEBMD DOES NOTENDORSE ANY SPECIFIC PRODUCT, SERVICE,OR TREATMENT.

Are you a single dad?Connect with othersat facebook.com/webmd.livingh e a lt h yMEN’S HEALTHSingle FileDads, are you juggling work and the kids by yourself?By Matt McMillenPaul Bradbury/Getty ImagesNearly 2 millionfathers in the UnitedStates are raising their kidsalone. Most have beenmarried, but close to a thirdnever tied the knot. A feware widowers. No matterhow men find themselves insingle-parent mode, expertssay it’s not a good idea to letpride get in the way of beingthe best parent possible.“Men often have an ‘I cando it all myself ’ attitude,”says psychologist BarryGinsberg, PhD, author of50 Wonderful Ways to Be aSingle-Parent Family. Thatthinking can make thingsdifficult, especially whenyou have to balance kids andcareer. Ginsberg’s advice:Learn to ask for help.“It’s very important todevelop a resource system,”he says. “If your child getssick while you’re at work, it isnice to know there’s someonewho can pick him or her up.”Ginsberg tells single dadshe counsels to connect withneighbors, friends, andother parents—people theycan rely on when they needa hand. But he acknowledges this is not always easyfor guys.from webmd.comQ &A“How will I knowthe time’s right tointroduce my newgirlfriend to mykids?”Daniel Ostrov, 44advertising executive,Portland, Ore.EXPERTANSWERAnother is your job. Talkto your boss about a moreflexible schedule. For example, ask if you can work fromhome on certain days anddiscuss ways to limit workrelated travel. At the veryleast, your employer shouldbe aware of your situation.That way, if a problem arises,you don’t have to answer alot of questions before youleave to attend to your child.“It’s a shame issue.They’re embarrassed ifthey have to say, ‘I coulduse some help.’ They feelthey’re not good enough asmen, or they’ll lose respectif they can’t handle it ontheir own.”One place to start is yourchild’s school. “It’s all aboutnetworking with other parents,” says Ginsberg. “Get toknow people.”EXPERT TIP“If you’ve just divorced, keep things as simple and stable as possible.Joint custody should follow a regular routine, and try to keep your kids’rooms set up the way they like them.”—Ronald Levant, EdDOctober 201314We b M D . c o m“Two things shouldguide you: Thewelfare of yourchildren and thestability of yournew relationship.Children may takea while to adjustto a situation.Introducing anotherwoman too sooncould upset them. Inthe case of divorce,for example, thekids might blamethe new girlfriendfor the breakupof your marriage,even if she had noinvolvement. Youshould also askyourself, ‘Doesthis relationshiphave legs?’ If youintroduce her to thekids and then breakup, it may echothe trauma.”Ronald Levant, EdDprofessor of psychology,The University of AkronReviewed by Michael W. Smith, MDWebMD Chief Medical Editor

16 You AskedExpert hairremoval tips andproduct picks18 Your SmileGet smart aboutwisdom teeth, plusa dentist’s secrets20 Beauty SmartsSee which eyecreams are for youGleamTeamThere are plenty of reasonsto smile this seasonEXPERT TIP“Have fluoride at home to remineralize theteeth, which will make them stronger and moreresistant to breakdown.”—Grace Sun, DDSPhotograph by Stewart Shining/Trunk ArchiveOctober 201315We b M D . c o m

Ready to retire the razor? Read LaserHair Removal, one of the top articlesat the Healthy Beauty Center.h e a lt h ybeauty.comYou AskedBare in MindPrepare for takeoff with expert hair-removaltips and product picksBy Ayren Jackson-Cannadyfrom webmd.comQ &A“Age spots on thebacks of handsrun in my family.Is there any way Ican avoid gettingthem too?”Blade RunnerSmooth MoveSchick Intuition Pure Nourishment Razor( 9.99) “I like razors with multiple blades andconditioning strips, like this one infused withcoconut milk and almond oil. For the closestshave, shave against the growth. If you havesensitive skin, shave in the direction of thehair growth.”Remington Smooth & Silky Epilator ( 59.99)“For the best epilation [an epilator is a handheld electrical device that grasps and pullsout unwanted hairs], it is essential to exfoliate.Then epilate against the grain, and if you’resensitive to pain, take an over-the-counterpain reliever a half hour before.”Foam RunStubble TroubleSatin Care Dry Skin Shave Gel ( 3.49) “Don’tshave on dry skin as you will get cuts, nicks,and micro-abrasions that can lead to bumps.To prevent bumps, use a hydrating shavinggel like this—not soap. Wait a few minutesin the shower after applying the gel and letit penetrate.”Veet Fast Acting Gel Cream Hair Remover( 9) “Depilatories [chemical-based creamsthat break down keratin for easy hair removal]have come a long way. They have muchnicer scents, and they leave your skin feelingsmooth and soft. Do a patch test to makecertain you are not allergic.”Debra Jaliman, MDdermatologist and author of Skin Rules: TradeSecrets From a Top New York Dermatologistthe opinions expressed in this section are ofthe experts and are not the opinions of WebMD.WebMD does not endorse any specific product,service, or treatment.We b M D . c o m16October 2013Jacinta Adams36, teacher, Mebane, N.C.EXPERTANSWER“You must use abroad-spectrumsunscreen thatprotects you againstUVA and UVBrays. My favoritesunscreens arethose containingzinc oxide ortitanium dioxide(at least 4% zincoxide or titaniumdioxide along withUVB sunscreeningredients),such as BlueLizard AustralianSunscreen DailyMoisturizer SPF30 ( 11.99), whichhas 8% zinc oxide.You can also tryNeutrogena RapidTone Repair( 19.99), made witha combo of retinol,vitamin C, andhyaluronic acid.”Lawrence Samuels, MDchief of dermatology,St. Luke’s Hospital,St. Louis

Learn MoreWax ReliefFuzz FighterEucerin Redness Relief DailyPerfecting Lotion ( 14.99) “Waxingpulls at the skin and removes the outerlayer of skin, which can be especiallyirritating to sensitive skin. If you noticeirritation or redness after waxing, applya calming cream like this to avoidbumps

Magazine for free! daily mini-magazine of fun Get your free iPad subscription in the App Store. editor’s note new and improved We’re making a good thing even better—the WebMD iPhone app just got an upgrade. Get all the health info you need and even more personalized healthy living