Since the invention of the Walkman, active people have shown that staying entertained is a big key to fitness success. Now there's evidence to suggest interactive entertainment actually can help you exercise harder and boost your mind. University of Florida researchers recently reported that brain games while cycling can improve thinking ability and boost speed by 25 percent . So you get to have more fun, pump up your brain and enjoy significantly more physical benefits. The researchers asked a group of older adults to use stationary bicycles while performing mental tasks that ranged from saying "go" whenever a blue star appeared on a screen to solving math problems. They discovered a sweet spot of difficulty that was just challenging enough to keep brains occupied but just simple enough to not interrupt the workout. Imagine your brain as an engine. Certain physical activities (walking, running, dancing) ask for a lot of your brain's power to calculate s...
What's lurking in YOUR salad? Experts warn prewashed spinach still contains 90% of its bacteria and can cause food poisoning
Health experts have warned against eating pre-washed spinach. They say commercial washing techniques fails to remove 90% of the bacteria. Small peaks and valleys in baby spinach leaves could be a key reason why there have been numerous bacterial outbreaks involving leafy green vegetables, they say. Greens are washed by commercial processes before they head to the grocery store. But these methods, which can include water and bleach rinses or irradiation, are not completely effective, says Nichola Kinsinger of the University of California. She says scientists have estimated that 99 percent of food-borne illnesses from leafy greens can be traced back to disinfection issues. 'In a sense the leaf is protecting the bacteria and allowing it to spread,' said Nichola Kinsinger, a post-doctoral researcher working with Sharon Walker, a professor of chemical and environmental engineering. 'It was surprising to discover how the leaf surface formed micro-environments t...