OTG Daily News

Walking more each day is linked to a sharper mind, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine analyzed Fitbit records spanning 14 years (2009–2023) for 3,093 adults ages 18 to 93 in the NIH's All of Us program. Participants fell into three groups by daily steps: about 5,108, 8,875 and 14,161. The two higher-step groups scored significantly better on tests of sustained attention, ignoring distractions and delayed gratification — every extra 1,000 steps a day was worth a small but real bump. The honest caveat: the study is observational. Cognition was measured once, and the researchers say it does not prove walking causes better brain performance. Sources: Scientific Reports (Oct 2026), via Medical News Today and NY Post.

Four years ago, 12-year old Deamonte Driver died of a toothache. Extreme neglect had led to an abscess that spread to his brain and killed him. The Drivers were a desperately poor family in Maryland that had trouble locating an oral surgeon who would work for Medicaid rates. But whether rich, poor or in between, regular dental care has declined as out-of-pocket costs have risen during the Great Recession. Few people know that good dental care can be the key to good overall health. According to the Mayo Clinic, a full menu of diseases can result from poor dental care, including endocarditis (an infection of the inner lining of the heart), cardiovascular disease (clogged arteries and stroke may be linked to oral bacteria) and premature birth and low birth weight babies, to name a few. In the months after the Wall Street crash of 2008 , Dr. Aziza Askari faced her own financial crisis. Patients in her Farmington Hills, Mich., dental practice began asking for refunds on prepayments for...

These days it feels like everyone’s always in a hurry—and it’s not just our imagination. Americans’ leisure time has decreased in the past few decades, dropping from 26 to 16 hours per week between 1973 and 2008. With fewer minutes to spare, skipping your workout might seem like a quick fix. But it doesn’t have to come to that! If you pick the right routine you can squeeze a meaningful workout into even your busiest days. Whether you’ve got a 30-minute lunch break or can spare only 5 minutes in the morning, there’s a quick and effective, expert-recommended workout for you. 30 Minutes For most of the following moves you’ll need a 6- to 8-pound medicine ball. You’ll do each exercise 5 times, doing 2 fewer reps each round. So in your first round you’ll complete 10 reps, in your second round you’ll complete 8, in the third you’ll do 6, and so forth. “The volume for these exercises is pretty low, so your goal is to complete each rep with maximum intensity,” Baptiste says. “Think quick, pr...

You know that look where his eyes slide past you...then turn back? Wouldn’t it be great to know what stopped him? You totally can. “There are a few things men instantly observe when they meet a woman,” says Jackie Black, PhD, author of Meeting Your Match. Learn what they are and you can maximize your, um, assets. Then you’ll have your pick. 1. How Thick Your Hair Is This is all about evolution. Since caveman days, dudes have been drawn to lush locks, which signal that a woman is healthy (translation: shaggable). 2. If Your Smile Is Genuine Sometimes your eyes crinkle a bit when you grin. Most men are good at distinguishing the vibe of this kind of smile, which says you’re relaxed and fun. 3. The Size of Your Group You don’t want a big bunch (it’ll be hard for him to approach) or just one friend (he’ll figure you wouldn’t desert her to talk to him). The perfect crew size? Three. Your two buds can keep each other company when you slip away. 4. The Pitch of Your Voice Studies ...

Dry air, colds, flu, screaming about the lousy weather -- all of it can all give you a scratchy throat this time of year. But there's no need to grab that bottle of neon-colored, tastes-like-Drano throat spray. "Natural cures really are good remedies for sore throats," says Dr. Benjamin Asher, a member of the Committee on Complementary and Integrative Medicine at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and an expert on integrative medicine. In fact, he says, many natural sore-throat remedies can be made right at home. Which means you don't even have to expose your tender tonsils to frigid outdoor air. video platform video management video solutions video player Here are three ways to cope the next time your throat's feeling sore. Coat Your Throat The standard remedy of a tablespoon of honey in warm water with lemon is a good natural remedy, says Dr. Asher. "You want to look for things that coat your throat," he adds, beca...

Florida children in grades six through eight are required under current law to take one semester of physical education  every year, but the state is now  considering a bill  to eliminate that mandatory class. The bill's sponsor, Republican State Rep.  Larry Metz , said in an email to ABC News that one of the main reasons behind the proposed law is to leave the decision to offer physical education up to local school districts, not the state. He is not opposed to physical education, he said, and the bill would not affect the current physical education requirement in elementary schools. "Simply because an idea may have merit for some does not mean that we should use the power of government to mandate it for all," Metz wrote. "Some physically fit and active  middle school  students might rather use that time in their school day to take another elective." He added that it was difficult for some schools to accommodate the additional time required for physical edu...

You walk into a restaurant to meet a friend and remember you were supposed to meet somewhere else. You leave your boss's office and, quick as that, forget the deadline she gave you for a new project. You had your keys in your hand, you were just holding them, and now they're gone -- again. What's going on? Here, nine possibilities for why your mind is wandering, and expert advice on how to get your concentration back. 1. Your numbers are low. Fuzzy mindedness could signal a vitamin or hormone deficiency, especially if you're also feeling unusually tired. For example, hypothyroidism -- too-low levels of thyroid hormone -- could be to blame, says Robert Orford , MD, consultant at the Mayo Clinic's Preventive Medicine Division in Scottsdale, AZ . "If there's a deficiency in thyroid hormone, metabolism slows, which reduces blood flow and cellular function in various parts of the brain," Dr. Orford says. B-12 deficiency and related anemia can have simil...

Breakfast is a healthy start to everyone’s day, and it’s especially important for children and their school performance. Nothing could be easier than a bowl of cold cereal and milk. While we’re all aware that some popular cereals contain whopping amounts of sugar, a new report by the Environmental Working Group reviewed 84 popular brands, and revealed some eye-popping comparisons of the sugar content with some popular cookies and snack cakes. At nearly 56 percent sugar by weight, three cereals (Kellogg’s Honey Smacks, Post Golden Crisp, and General Mills Wheaties Fuel) weigh in with 20 grams of sugar in a skimpy one cup serving. That’s a whopping five teaspoons of sugar — roughly the same as one Twinkie snack cake. And with today's oversized cereal bowls, a typical serving size is likely to be double that amount, or closer to two cups. A single one-cup bowl of an additional 44 cereals, including the popular Honey Nut Cheerios, Apple Jacks and Cap’n Crunch, are equivalent to eat...

Plan B-One Step, the so-called "morning after pill," won't be made available over the counter to girls younger than 17, regardless of a previous Food and Drug Administration recommendation, according to a statement by U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. In a surprise move, Sebelius invoked her authority as the agency's head to overrule the recommendation of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research -- and the conclusions drawn by FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, according to statements issued today. The move has drawn swift condemnation: “In facing a tough call, HHS has put politics over science when it comes to sex,” said Art Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania and a frequent contributor to msnbc.com. Sebelius said she wasn't convinced that Teva Pharmaceuticals Inc. had proven that non-prescription use of emergency contraceptives containing the drug levonorges...

Simple Swaps that Shave Calories I often think to myself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do?” And the truth is, it’s readers like you who keep me answering “Yes,” to that statement, day after day. Take, for example, Donna Smith of Champaign, Illinois, who weighed 213 pounds when she was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago. Though she was already in her late 50s, she dropped 40 pounds in just one year using the swaps in Eat This, Not That! 2012 and she’s been able to reduce her need for diabetes drugs significantly. Then there’s David Terrall, 38, of Stoughton, Wisconsin, who lost 70 pounds in a year and says he can now run around the yard with his young daughters without becoming exhausted. And 39-year-old Nichole Storms of Glencoe, Minnesota, who dropped an incredible 130 pounds in 12 months. “Guys hold doors open for me now,” she says. “That’s never happened before.” Major, life-altering changes, are brought about not by dieting,...

The holidays are here and with them come a multitude of parties. All of them, no doubt, will have a buffet table packed with delicious holiday treats. Your tactic for avoiding temptation may be to steer clear of all the special treats and divert yourself with only healthy foods. Great in theory, but not so perfect in practice. Lots of foods that are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are also full of calories. And when you're mindlessly munching as you're mingling, those calories can add up fast. Don't assume that just because something is healthy it is also low-cal. If you like the healthy treats that sometimes show up at holiday parties, that's great! Have them—in moderation. If you'd rather sample some of the special seasonal treats, just put two or three of the most delicious-looking hors d'oeuvres on your plate and enjoy. Before you head out to party, check out these surprisingly unhealthy holiday calorie bombs and better bets to choose ins...

1- Good Sleep Research shows that people who go without enough good sleep (generally considered at least six hours a night) are up to six times as likely to become depressed as those who get good sleep. 2- Good Sex Levels of the "happy neurochemicals" serotonin and endorphin have been found to rise in postorgasmic rats. At the same time, there's a surge in oxytocin — which is believed to reduce stress levels — as well as an uptick in prolactin, thought to be associated with the sleepy feeling after sex. These findings suggest that having sex (or taking matters into your own hands) brings some temporary relief for stress or anxiety. 3- Good Exercise Particularly aerobic exercise. The best evidence to date — based on the analysis of fourteen random controlled trials — indicates that to prevent, and even effectively treat, depression with exercise requires three thirty-minute sessions per week of aerobic exercise at 60 to 80 percent of maximum heart rate (i.e., typica...

Cocktail parties, cookie swaps, and family meals help the average American pack on a pound of body weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, and those who are overweight could gain 5 pounds or more during the holidays, according to research from Tufts University. Dietitians estimate that a holiday meal alone—like the plate you pile high with turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, and pie—can pack 2,200 to 2,400 more calories than an everyday dinner. To burn off these calories, a 165-pound person would have to swim laps for 4.5 hours or walk almost 30 miles on the treadmill. But you have better things to do this season, like shop, string lights, and entertain guests—and that’s okay. This plan of attack will show you how to use these activities, along with classic calorie-cutting tips, to burn off an oversized meal (and then some!) in three short days. Calorie ranges have been calculated for a person who weighs 165 to 195 pounds, the average body weights for American women and men a...