ScienceDaily: Living Well News

---

• Stress undermines empathic abilities in men but increases them in women
• What’s so bad about feeling happy?
• Who’s afraid of math? Study finds some genetic factors
• Positive memories of exercise spur future workouts
• Many parents have infant-feeding, TV, activity practices which may increase obesity risk
• Time out: Spanking babies is surprisingly common, U.S. study finds
• Three quarters of people with seasonal, pandemic flu have no symptoms
• Major 'third-hand smoke' compound causes DNA damage and potentially cancer
• Better-tasting reduced-fat desserts, dressings, sauces: Coming soon?
• Intelligent people are more likely to trust others
• Married women less likely to die from heart disease
• Honey offers new approach to fighting antibiotic resistance

Stress undermines empathic abilities in men but increases them in women Posted: 17 Mar 2014 06:59 AM PDT Stressed males tend to become more self-centered and less able to distinguish their own emotions and intentions from those of other people. For women the exact opposite is true. Stress, this problem that haunts us every day, could be undermining not only our health but also our relationships with other people, especially for men. Stressed women, however, become more "prosocial" according to new research.

What’s so bad about feeling happy? Posted: 17 Mar 2014 06:59 AM PDT Why is being happy, positive and satisfied with life the ultimate goal of so many people, while others steer clear of such feelings? It is often because of the lingering belief that happiness causes bad things to happen, says a researcher. A new article reviews the concept of aversion to happiness, and looks at why various cultures react differently to feelings of well-being and satisfaction.

Who’s afraid of math? Study finds some genetic factors Posted: 17 Mar 2014 06:58 AM PDT A new study of math anxiety shows how some people may be at greater risk to fear math not only because of negative experiences, but also because of genetic risks related to both general anxiety and math skills. The results don't mean that math anxiety can be blamed solely or even mostly on genetic factors, the researchers emphasized. In this study, genetic factors explained about 40 percent of the individual differences in math anxiety.

Positive memories of exercise spur future workouts Posted: 17 Mar 2014 06:58 AM PDT Getting motivated to exercise can be a challenge, but new research shows that simply remembering a positive memory about exercise may be just what it takes to get on the treadmill. This is the first study to explore how positive memories can influence future workouts, and underscores the power of memory's directive influence in a new domain with practical applications: exercise behaviors.

Many parents have infant-feeding, TV, activity practices which may increase obesity risk Posted: 17 Mar 2014 05:45 AM PDT A majority of parents in a new study reported infant feeding and activity behaviors believed to increase the child's risk for later obesity. In addition, these behaviors varied according to the self-reported race and ethnicity of the parents. "What this study taught us is that we can do better. While we don't know the exact causes of obesity, families of all races and ethnicities need early counseling to lead healthier lives. That counseling should be culturally-tailored, and we are hoping our research sheds light on the best ways to do that," remarked a practicing pediatrician.

Time out: Spanking babies is surprisingly common, U.S. study finds Posted: 16 Mar 2014 06:09 PM PDT The same hands that parents use to lovingly feed, clothe and bathe their babies are also commonly used to spank their bundles of joy. A new study found that 30 percent of 1-year-old children were spanked at least once in the past month by their mother, father or both parents. A long-time topic of debate, spanking children is a common practice among U.S. parents.

Three quarters of people with seasonal, pandemic flu have no symptoms Posted: 16 Mar 2014 05:32 PM PDT Around 1 in 5 of the population were infected in both recent outbreaks of seasonal flu and the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, but just 23% of these infections caused symptoms, and only 17% of people were ill enough to consult their doctor. These findings come from a major new community-based study comparing the burden and severity of seasonal and pandemic influenza in England over 5 years.

Major 'third-hand smoke' compound causes DNA damage and potentially cancer Posted: 16 Mar 2014 05:31 PM PDT Leftover cigarette smoke that clings to walls and furniture is a smelly nuisance, but now research suggests that it could pose a far more serious threat, especially to young children who put toys and other smoke-affected items into their mouths. Scientists reported that one of the tobacco-specific nitrosamines newly formed in "third-hand smoke" damages DNA and could potentially cause cancer.

Better-tasting reduced-fat desserts, dressings, sauces: Coming soon? Posted: 16 Mar 2014 12:29 PM PDT Adjusting the calcium level and acidity could be the key to developing new better tasting, more eye-appealing and creamier reduced-fat sauces, desserts and salad dressings, researchers report.

Intelligent people are more likely to trust others Posted: 16 Mar 2014 10:38 AM PDT Intelligent people are more likely to trust others, while those who score lower on measures of intelligence are less likely to do so, says a new study. Researchers based their finding on an analysis of the General Social Survey, a nationally representative public opinion survey carried out in the United States every one to two years. The authors say one explanation could be that more intelligent individuals are better at judging character and so they tend to form relationships with people who are less likely to betray them.

Married women less likely to die from heart disease Posted: 16 Mar 2014 10:37 AM PDT Married women are 28% less likely to die from heart disease than unmarried women, a new study has found. This is despite the fact that marriage makes no difference to women's chances of developing heart disease in the first place. The reasons for this difference are not known, but researchers suggest one explanation could be that the partners of married women may encourage them to seek early medical treatment for symptoms.

Honey offers new approach to fighting antibiotic resistance Posted: 16 Mar 2014 10:28 AM PDT Honey, that delectable condiment for breads and fruits, could be one sweet solution to the serious, ever-growing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, researchers say. In addition, several studies have shown that honey inhibits the formation of biofilms, or communities of slimy disease-causing bacteria.

You are subscribed to email updates from Living Well News -- ScienceDaily To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610