Issue Date: February 18, 2007
Set a limit for your child's video games
Install parental controls on your game console.
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Is your child upstairs right now, preparing to steal cars and smoke pot? Sure, it's just within a video game, but that's small comfort.
As some games become more adult-oriented, many parents have become determined to police what their kids play. The new Parental GameLock from Xploder ($39.99 at xploder.net) may be the answer. It works with the PlayStation 2 and prevents children from playing video games that their parents deem inappropriate.
The software, installed via a CD, comes preloaded with ratings information on hundreds of titles. Parents can set the level of games their children are allowed to play -- say, nothing that is rated "mature." The settings are stored on the PS2's memory card, a data storage device sold separately. (Your kids most likely already have one.) The memory card is then locked in place to prevent kids from replacing it.
Of course, you could always just do what your kid has been begging for anyway and buy a next-gen game console. The PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii all have built-in parental controls.
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Guard your heart: Get moving!
A healthy heart can be essential to living a longer, better life. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the single leading cause of death in the United States. And, like your biceps or abs, your heart muscle needs a good workout to stay in shape.
The good news is that getting the right exercise may be simpler than you think. "Too many people think that they have to start a formal program," says Barry Franklin, director of cardiac rehabilitation and exercise laboratories at the William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., "but the truth is, you can begin by just moving more in daily living. Parking your cara little bit farther away or taking the stairs -- these little bits accumulate and can make great improvements in cardiovascular health."
As part of the American Heart Association's national wellness program Start!, Franklin suggests integrating short walks into your day. "Brisk walking is one of my favorites because it is easily accessible, causes few injuries and has a low dropout rate," he says. "Start with at least three 10-minute walks throughout the day, and you will be surprised by how quickly they add up. It's like putting a dollar in your piggy bank: Whether you put in a whole dollar or four quarters, it is all going to equal the same amount."
Contact Jorge Cruise, author of The 3-Hour Diet, at 3hourdiet.com.
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Greenhouses: 3 types that won't break the bank
If you'd love to grow tropical plants, germinate seedlings or harden plants early in the season but don't have money or space for a full-size greenhouse, here are alternatives that will help to extend your growing season:
PORTABLE GROHOUSE This UV-protected vinyl greenhouse is perfect for tropical plants that need to be overwintered in a warm environment. Steel frames snap together without tools; the door is double-zippered. Prices start at $119.95 at charleysgreenhouse.com.
GARDEN HOUSE Seedsofchange.com offers a $250UV-treated woven-plastic greenhouse with zippered screened doors on either end and eight screened vents for air circulation. It's 8 feet square by 6 feet high and is meant to be set up by one person in just 15 minutes.
COLD FRAME This versatile rectangular structure lets you plant in the ground or grow in containers. Most have hinged top panels to open and close easily for light and air circulation. Prices: $119 at Gardenhouse.com; from $79 at FarmTek.com.
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New brain food: DHA
Tip: Eat salmon. It's particularly high in DHA.
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A groundbreaking study at Tufts University has identified the major fatty acid in fish oil that appears to protect brains against dementia and Alzheimer's disease. It's DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid.
Among a big group of elderly Americans, those with the highest blood levels of DHA were about half as apt to develop dementia and 39% as apt to develop Alzheimer's as those with lower blood levels of DHA over a nine-year period. The top 25% of those with the highest blood DHA got about 180 mg DHA a day, or three servings of fish a week, researchers said. In this study, the other major fatty acid in fish oil, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), had no effect.
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