That's Fit

Got tangles in your favorite necklace? Use a little butter and a needle and see if you can get them out. Probably not, according to this MSNBC video. After this oddball food remedy was tested, the tangles did come out, but it took 20 minutes -- probably not that much easier than using a needle alone.

Food is apparently not for consumption alone. It also works for some of life's little annoyances -- like removing crayon marks from walls and furniture. Just rub on a glob of mayonnaise, let sit for 10 minutes, and wipe off. Hey, it works. This also works: Use a piece of bread and dab it on small pieces of broken glass -- it will pick them up with ease.

How about egg yolk for super shiny hair? Nope. Stick with your usual conditioner. Does milk work for ink stains on shirts? No. How about salt for grease stains? No again.

Two out of six. Not so great in my book. I say save your food for fuel and forget the shot-in-the-dark frustration fixes.

What worries people most about growing old? It's not wrinkles and gray hair. It's something far less superficial.

About one-third of 28,000 respondents in an MSNBC online aging poll said they are most worried about their ability to take care of themselves. One-fifth said they're afraid of losing their mental abilities, and 16 percent are afraid they'll grow very ill and experience a lot of pain. Only seven percent fear looking old and wrinkly.

The biggest priority for nearly 60 percent of respondents: Staying strong and healthy.

My radio station co-hosts debunked a few health myths yesterday morning and some of the truths they shared surprised me a bit. What do you think about these?

We should drink eight full glasses of water each day. Nope. This myth dates way back and has long been perpetuated. But most of the water we need comes from our food -- if we're eating the right foods, of course -- and so consuming loads of water simply is not necessary. How much is the right amount? It depends on the opinion of the person you consult.

We only use 10 percent of our brains. Not true. Never has it been proven that 90 percent of our brains sit dormant. Imaging tests on a normal healthy brain will consistently light up all over the place, indicating function in all areas.

Reading in dim light will harm your eyes. It might cause some strain but won't lead to permanent damage or vision loss.

Does turkey really make us tired? Do our nails and hair continue to grow after we die? To uncover the truth about these questions and more, give a glance to this MSNBC article.

I grew up under the mantra, "eat a bushel of dirt before you die." I don't buy antibacterial soap or carry around hand sanitizer. Much to my husband's chagrin, I don't even care if my kids' fingernails are filthy at dinnertime. As a kid, I never bathed daily. In fact, most of the time my mom would make us wash our black-bottomed feet in the garage sink before slipping between the sheets. Sorry if you're horrified.

This may be a wise proverb. Turns out our onslaught of germ-avoiding behaviors may be hurting us. Dr. Marc McMorris, a pediatric allergist at the University of Michigan Health System, explained that since our bodies do not need to fight off as many germs these days, our immune systems are developing more allergic tendencies. Check out this LiveScience video by Dr. McMorris on the hygiene hypothesis.

One JAMA study in 2002 indicated children living with two or more dogs or cats during their first year are less likely to fall prey to allergic diseases than children without pets. I'm a cat fan, but my husband is allergic to both dogs and cats. I've been eying dwarf hamsters at the pet shop -- I think it's time to surprise the kids. What's your take on the hygiene hypothesis? Read the full story at MSNBC.

The Breathing Diet? The Bigger Hips Diet? The Smoker's Diet? Do these exist? No, but if a few readers over at MSNBC had their way, they just might. These wacky workout inquiries are all fun to read, and the answers return to the same theme over and over again -- there's no magic pill, no special exercise that will help you lose weight in exactly all the right places.

As I read this article, something struck me. The people asking these questions are looking at exercise as a means to an end -- something they must endure to have something they want, a better body. There are many days when I drag myself to my workout, doing it only to appease the guilt, or not doing it at all on days when my conscience will let me off the hook. If there was a magic tea to whittle my hips or a breathing exercise that would trim my waistline while I enjoyed the upcoming return of Lost, I would probably jump at it.

But by categorizing exercise as a chore, I think we do ourselves a great disservice. Our bodies were built for motion and the benefits we reap from regular physical activity shows that. Rather than trying to dodge exercise, maybe we should celebrate it. I love the burst of energy I get during a workout and how strong I feel afterward. After I finally convince myself to strap on my shoes and get warmed up, I even enjoy the working part of a workout.