Prince George Is Learning to Speak This Foreign Language

As the third in line for the British throne, Prince George is a tot of many talents. For instance, he can pull off an adorable pout—even when he’s getting a pep talk from his dad. He has a knack for inventing precious nicknames, too. But that’s not the only trick this little royal has up his sleeve.

At a recent charity event, the Duchess of Cambridge revealed that three-year-old George, as well as his three-year-old sister Princess Charlotte, are learning to speak Spanish. Prince George can count up to ten in Spanish already, his mom said.

He’s only a pre-schooler, but it makes sense for the soon-to-be king to learn a new language. Not only will it help him out during future royal tours, but Spanish is also the second most widely spoken language in the world.

The bilingual youngsters are following in the footsteps of their father and grandfather, Princes William and Charles. As two of the royal family’s most talented linguists, they can speak up to five languages between them: French, German, Welsh, Swahili, and Gaelic. The Prince and Princess’s nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, is also a native Spanish speaker. In short, we’re willing to bet the young royals are picking up a phrase or two around the house.

Want to get your own little prince or princess up to speed? If you teach your child these three languages, you’ll basically be raising a future CEO (or king!)

Plus, check out the 5 Things Prince George Will Inherit!

Do you take your shoes off on a plane? You might want to rethink that…

Flight attendants have seen everything while flying—seriously, these are the secrets they aren’t telling you. So when something grosses them out (e.g. passengers walking around the plane without their shoes on) take it from them—you really shouldn’t do it.

Airplane bathrooms might seem like they’re clean, but they’re actually pretty unsanitary. In between flights, the bathrooms are only given a quick spray of disinfectant, a wipe down, and then restocked with toilet paper. And we hate to break it to you, but that liquid you see on the floor most likely isn’t water, so take this travel tip to heart: you should really be wearing your shoes. (Make sure you never do these 14 other things on a plane, either.)

The bathroom isn’t the only reason you should keep your shoes on on a flight. When a passenger gets sick on a plane, the carpet is only spot cleaned. A cleaning crew will take care of those gross spots, but they won’t clean the whole area where germs could have spread.

We know it’s tempting to kick off your shoes and relax on a flight but it’s best to keep them on. You’ll be a lot cleaner and the people sitting around you will most likely thank you for it, too.

Want more insider info? Here’s the One Word You Need to Say to Get Your Flight Attendant to Like You!

Why This Winter Habit Is Bad for Your Engine

Once the temperatures dip in the winter, a car left out in the street overnight can become an arctic tundra by morning. Hop in for your a.m. commute, and your hands, toes, and bottom will instantly freeze in the ice-cold vehicle. Knowing this, you might be tempted to start the ignition and let your car get warm and toasty before settling in. But doing so can also waste fuel and cause serious damage to your engine. (Here are 15 winter driving rules every car owner should know.)

Surprised? Many drivers believe that “warming up” their cars in cold weather protects their engine. However, “it probably does more harm than good,” according to Business Insider.

The prevailing wisdom that cars need to warm up in cold weather probably comes from a time when car engines used carburetors. Before the 1980s, cold gasoline would cause your car to stall if you tried to start the ignition. So people used to wait for their cars to warm up before driving, instead.

But that common practice changed in the 1980s, when new electronic fuel injection technology replaced the old carburetors. Today, cars need only 30 to 60 seconds to run before they are ready to drive. (Although most Canadians switch their car tires each winter, a new study suggests we’re doing it at the wrong time.)

What happens if you leave your car idling for longer than one minute? Doing so wastes gas, for one. What’s more, it could cause serious damage to your engine. This is why: Cars run on a mixture of air and vaporized fuel. But in colder climates, where gasoline is less likely to evaporate, the car reacts by adding more gasoline to the mix through a process called running “rich.” On the flip side, idling the engine in cold conditions can actually strip lubricating oil off of the engine’s pistons and cylinder walls. That, in turn, can shorten the life of your engine.

Now that you’re clued in, find out the safer, faster way to remove snow from your car.

The Problem with Charging Your Phone in Your Car

Whether you’re on a long road trip or stuck in traffic during a daily commute, a low iPhone battery could spell disaster for the bored driver. At first, it may seem harmless to plug your phone into your car’s USB port. But unless you’re desperate, charging your iPhone during your commute might be a big mistake. (And by the way, here are nine things you should never leave in the car.)

Why? For starters, the USB port in your vehicle probably provides less electricity than your phone really needs to charge. As a result, your phone might stall while it charges, or worse—barely charge at all.

“Many people may notice that on their commute home from work their phone charged very little (if at all) during their 30 to 60 minute commute,” Brad Nichols, a technician at Staymobile, told Reader’s Digest. “This is mostly due to the fact the phone is using more power than the car charger is supplying it.”

Nichols also says that your phone could receive too much power, especially if you’re using a “Cigarette Lighter” port to charge up. Most Cigarette Lighters can supply up to 10 amps, while most chargers use one to three amps. A malfunctioning or damaged charger can provide inconsistent power to the device, resulting in sudden spikes or surges that could cause overheating, damage to the internal components, or on the rare occasion, destroy the device.

Charging your phone while on the road could drain your car’s battery, too. If you leave your car running on “accessory”—where your engine is off, but you still use the radio—the device will draw power from your car’s battery as it charges. This usually isn’t a big deal for those who own new cars with healthy batteries, Nichols says. But if your car is an older model, you might want to avoid charging your phone through its USB port. (If you own one of these 10 cars, it’s way more likely to get stolen.)

Most importantly, it’s not safe to use your phone while operating a vehicle. “Anytime a person’s hands leave the wheel or eyes leave the road, it becomes incredibly dangerous for them and the other people around them,” Nichols says. (These seven tricks will help you stop texting and driving once and for all.) Bottom line: Play it safe, and wait until you get home to plug in.

Here are 4 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Getting an Oil Change.

Why Your Long Commute Is Wrecking Your Brain

Roughly 15.4 million Canadians commute to work every day. Although working from home is on the rise, if you’re lacking for topics of conversation at a party, groaning about your commute is a pretty safe bet. A safe, bland conversation bet, and a shared experience which might be putting your very intelligence in jeopardy.

According to a recent study, driving for more than two hours each day can steadily decrease the IQ of middle-aged drivers. The Sunday Times of London detailed the study, which looked the lifestyle choices of over 500,000 Britons between the ages of 37 and 73. (Learn these psychologist-approved secrets to a happy commute.)

When looking at the data of the 93,000 participants who drove more than two to three hours per day, the study found a noticeable drop off in brainpower, measured by intelligence and memory tests. The study found similar results with participants who partook in several hours similarly sedentary activity, like television watching.

As it turns out, stimulating activity stimulates your brain, while non-stimulating activity, well, doesn’t stimulate your brain. (Every car owner should know these winter driving rules.)

“Cognitive decline is measurable over five years because it can happen fast in middle-aged and older people. This is associated with lifestyle factors such as smoking and bad diet—and now with time spent driving,” Kishran Bakrania, a medical epidemiologist at the University of Leicester told the Times.

Fortunately for most Canadians, the average commute time was recorded at approximately 25 minutes, according to the 2011 National Household Survey. And if you think that the way to pump up your IQ is through brain games, think again. Just try and avoid those long hours on the road if possible.

Here are 7 Tricks to Make Yourself Stop Texting and Driving.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #1: Keep your snacks to 150 calories or less

The danger of snacks is that they can become more like extra meals if you go overboard. First, make sure you’re truly hungry—and not just bored or stressed or craving chocolate—before reaching for a snack. Then limit yourself to 150 calories per snack. This will help keep your snacking “honest.” After all, it’s hard to find a chocolate bar with only 150 calories. And if you’re hankering for a chocolate bar, but a healthier snack doesn’t appeal, you’re probably not truly hungry.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #2: Beware of low-fat snacks

Studies show that people tend to eat about 28 per cent more of a snack when it’s low-fat because they think they’re saving on calories. But low-fat snacks such as cookies only have about 11 per cent fewer calories than their full-fat counterparts. Stick to the same amount you’d eat if you thought the snack was full-fat.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #3: Plate your snacks

Eat straight out of the bag and you’re guaranteed to eat more, whether it’s chips, pretzels, or cookies. Instead, put a small portion on a plate, seal up the bag and put it away, then sit down and enjoy your snack.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #4: Grab the whole bag

A single serving bag, that is. You’re much more likely to stop after one serving if you don’t have to measure it out yourself. If paying more for extra packaging that will eventually clog landfills bothers you, separate your snacks yourself into reusable single-serving containers when you get home from the grocery store so they’re ready to grab when you’re ready to eat them.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #5: Pour a handful of nuts

Almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, and cashews contain the healthy monounsaturated fats that lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. And because they’re packed with protein and “good” fat, they won’t raise blood sugar as much as crackers or pretzels do. Because many nuts are high in calories (almonds are the lowest), stick to an amount that will fit in the palm of your hand.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #6: Have a few whole-grain crackers with peanut butter

You’ll eat more protein and fewer carbs than if you have a bigger pile of crackers with no peanut butter, and your blood sugar won’t rise as much.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #7: Snack on raw veggies

Get in an extra serving of vegetables by nibbling on cherry tomatoes, carrots, red and green peppers, cucumbers, broccoli crowns, and cauliflower. Eat them plain or dip them into nonfat yogurt, a light salad dressing, or hummus (stick with 1 to 2 tablespoons’ worth).

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #8: Spread some black bean salsa over eggplant slices

The salsa has only about 15 grams of carbs, 80 calories, and 1 gram of fat. (This simple eggplant recipe has all your favourite winter flavours.)

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #9: Sip a small cup of vegetable soup

Cook non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, onion, celery, green beans, and squash in some vegetable or chicken stock. It’s filling, full of veggies, and low in carbs. (Find out how eating beans can speed weight loss and boost your health.)

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #10: Indulge in a few decadent bites

Have a snack of three dried apricots, a small piece of dark chocolate (about the size of a square of baking chocolate), and three walnuts or almonds, suggests Vicki Saunders, RD, who teaches nutrition education programs at St. Helena Hospital in Napa Valley, California. Savour every nibble!

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #11: Blend a fruit smoothie

Combine half of a chopped banana, 3/4 cup nonfat plain yogourt, and a non-nutritive sweetener, and blend until smooth.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #12: Freeze grapes and peeled bananas

Seal them in a sandwich bag and throw it into the freezer. Once frozen, they’re a refreshing and healthy treat. You can eat 20 red seedless grapes and still consume only 100 calories. (This is why you shouldn’t be throwing out those banana “strings.”)

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #13: Eat an apple—and the skin

An apple with the skin contains about 3 grams of fibre. The skin packs a double whammy, carrying healthy soluble fibre that helps to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease and antioxidants that fight free radicals and lower the risk of diabetes complications.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #14: Try low-fat string cheese

Each one contains only 80 calories. These are one of the few portable goodies rich in sugar-steadying protein.

Low-Calorie Snack Idea #15: Have your chocolate ‘bar’ frozen

By that we mean enjoy a frozen fudge pop. They taste delightfully chocolatey but contain only about 100 calories.

Check out 30 Healthy Snacks No Adult Has to Feel Guilty About Eating!

According to Science, Swearing is Good For You

There are some weird habits that prove you’re smarter than everyone else, and swearing is one of them. It also happens to be healthy.

In a new book Swearing Is Good for You: The Amazing Science of Bad Language, author Emma Byrne uses the latest research from neuroscientists, psychologists, sociologists, and other experts to make a strong case for swearing being a downright healthy response to stress and pain. Here’s some of the convincing evidence:

• Swearing at work can reduce stress and boost company morale and camaraderie, according to a 2007 study out of the University of East Anglia in Norwich. Byrne’s research, according to Men’s Health, further demonstrates a biological and psychological imperative to create a shorthand that others are capable of understanding as a socially acceptable (if slightly subversive) means of communicating high emotions such as frustration. (Here are 3 More Healthy Ways to Let Off Steam.)
• Swearing can increase pain tolerance, according to a 2009 study from the University of East Anglia in Norwich. Byrne points out in her upcoming book that “people with terminal or chronic illness use swearing as a way of dealing with fear and frustration.” And it’s far less debilitating than “curling up in a little ball and crying,” according to Men’s Health.
• Swearing is a harmless, creative emotional release that can make you feel stronger, according to a 2014 study out of Keele. Byrne says “our human ancestors probably developed swear words as a way to express their anger without resorting to physical violence.”
• Swearing can be a sign of verbal fluency and intelligence, according to a 2015 study out of Marist College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, both in the U.S. Byrne describes the “timely deployment of curse words as intelligent, powerful, and, [sometimes] socially essential.”
• Swearing uses both “emotion-oriented and language-oriented parts of your brain,” which no other words or terms do, according to Byrne, who has also stated that it is because of this double brain activation that swearing “can help stroke victims re-learn their capacity for language.”

Using swear words isn’t wrong, in and of itself. Just keep in mind that swearing, like most things, is best in moderation.

Next: It turns out There’s a Scientific Reason Behind these 8 Super Annoying Habits!

Your stomach is killing you and you’re feeling nauseous. Are you contagious, or was your food contaminated?

Telling the difference can be tricky because you might not realize you’d been in touch with someone who was sick, says Rabia De Latour, MD, gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health. While food poisoning shows up within one to eight hours of eating, you (and the person you caught the bug from) won’t get stomach flu symptoms until 24 to 48 hours of being around the person you caught it from—and that person might not have shown symptoms yet either. “There’s this incubation period,” says Dr. De Latour. “They’re walking around and somewhat contagious.”

Once symptoms do show up, a stomach bug and food poisoning look almost identical: stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. But one telltale sign that your symptoms are serious food poisoning could be high fever or blood in the stool, says Neal Shipley, MD, medical director of Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care. “Viral illnesses are less aggressive,” he says. See a doctor if you have high fever or bloody vomit or stool, or your symptoms don’t get better within two days. (Check out these 10 Ways to Outsmart the Stomach Flu.)

If your symptoms aren’t serious, try retracing your steps to figure out if you ate anything that had been left out too long or wasn’t fully cooked. If others you’d eaten with are having the same stomach issues, there’s a good chance you all got food poisoning, says Dr. De Latour.

Both stomach bugs and food poisoning are treated the same way—drinking plenty of clear liquids and eventually reintroducing bland foods—but knowing the difference will help if you end up at the doctor’s office. Stomach bugs are viruses, but food poisoning can come from a virus, bacteria, or parasite, says Dr. De Latour. With the stomach flu, antibiotics (which only work against bacteria) won’t help your symptoms at all, says Dr. Shipley. “The most common side effect from antibiotics is upset stomach or diarrhea,” he says. Instead, a doctor might prescribe medicine specifically designed for upset stomach or recommend an over-the-counter product.

Washing your hands more often will help ward off both stomach flu and food poisoning, says Dr. De Latour. You’ll keep sick people’s germs out of your own body and avoid cross-contaminating food while cooking.

Tummy troubles? Check out these 9 Natural Remedies for an Upset Stomach. 

Ever Wonder Which Male Body Type Women Find Most Attractive?

Men, listen up: All that time at the gym and clean eating may just be worth it.

Researchers asked male and female students ranging in age from their teens to early 20s at Oklahoma State University and Australia’s Griffith University to rate men from a scale of one to seven on attractiveness. The students were shown photos of nearly 200 shirtless or tank top-wearing men—only bodies were shown, faces were obscured. All of the men photographed attended the University of California, Santa Barbara; 60 of the men were recruited from the school’s gym, while an additional 130 were taking psych classes, according to Washingtonpost.com. All 160 of the women in the study preferred the fittest of the bunch, according to the research in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Study author Aaron Lukaszewski stated the same thing we all did about the results of this study:”Well, duh! Of course, women find strong men the sexiest, why is that science?” Lukaszewski said not one woman preferred weaker-looking men.

Researchers hypothesize that strong bodies have been a traditional indicator of health and a man’s ability to survive and take care of himself. In modern times, that can translate into success at work and how well a man can protect his family.

The researchers cautioned that these results cannot be considered as applicable across the board as the people involved were college-aged men and women. Results can vary according to culture and what qualities women of different ages value. Besides, it’s not as if these shirtless men had their IQs tattooed on their chests.

Here’s an exercise routine that will help men stay forever fit.

“Superfoods” are forever making headlines: Chinese goji berries, Ethiopian teff grain and Andean yacon syrup are a few examples. But the healthiest foods are familiar, well-priced—and backed by research.

Blueberries
Blueberries pack lots of disease-fighting antioxidants. A 2015 study published in Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests a daily cup can be as effective as medication for lowering blood pressure in hypertensive women. And a British study concluded that three half-cup servings a week of mixed blueberries and strawberries lowered heart attack risk. Frozen are usually as nutritious as fresh, says London dietitian Sarah Schenker.

Kefir
This probiotic dairy product has healthy bacteria that can fight disease, develop the immune system, boost gastrointestinal health and prevent allergy development, concludes a 2016 study published in Frontiers in Microbiology. “Kefir is potentially one of the healthiest foods,” says molecular biologist Paul Cotter, who led the study. Claudia Thienel, a Bonn nutritionist, suggests making a kefir breakfast smoothie with raspberries, banana and ground oatmeal.

Sauerkraut
Like kefir, unpasteurized raw fermented cabbage is probiotic. And a 2012 Polish study on rats, published in Nutrition and Cancer, showed that cabbage and sauerkraut slowed estrogen metabolism; this hormone can promote breast cancer cell growth. Choose the refrigerated type.           

Beans
Kidney beans, lentils, etc., are a perfect balance of fiber, protein and complex carbohydrates. Their fiber may lower prostate cancer risk, concluded a 2016 Sorbonne University study. Beans are a protein source, so use them instead of meat in soups and stews.

Nuts
A staple of the Mediterranean diet, nuts are linked to longevity. Recent research from the U.K. and Norway shows that people who ate 28 grams a day (a handful) cut their heart disease risk by nearly 30 percent, compared to people who didn’t eat nuts. The unsaturated fats in nuts help lower cholesterol.

Green Tea
A Japanese study of about 90,000 people published in 2016 in Cancer Science found that those who drank lots of green tea had lower risks for certain cancers. A polyphenol antioxidant in green tea may be why. Other research suggests green tea boosts brain health. Black tea also has the beneficial polyphenols, says Schenker.

Oats
A 2016 British Journal of Nutrition review of studies found that oats are better than previously thought for lowering cholesterol, thanks to a soluble fiber in oat bran. It’s hard to get enough in a serving of oatmeal, so add oat bran to soups, salads or cereals, and bake with it.