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before?” Simply hand your teen
a specially programmed key,
which tells the car to limit its
top speed to safer levels. It also
by the numbers
1
5
After exercising, the
number of minutes
w ithin which you
should have a small
bite to eat.
buzz
M O M , D A D , C A N
I
H A V E T H E KEYS?
When your teen asks that question,
you no longer have to instinctively
shudder. The all-new
2 0 10
Ford
Taurus has a feature called MyKey
mutes the stereo until seat
belts are buckled, and lowers
the volume at which your teen
can blast Coldplay while driving.
Not enough? MyKey includes an
earlier low-fuel warning, a blind
spot sensor, and many other
teen-friendly safety features.
See more at
ford.com .
When you exercise, especially vigorously,
your body burns through its stores of
blood glucose and another form of
energy called glycogen. If you don’t eat a
small snack (an apple, a banana, a peanut
butter sandwich, some trail mix) within 15
minutes of finishing you do yourself a
disservice. By eating
YOU R ECO VER FASTER A healthy
snack immediately after exercise
replenishes glycogen faster, which means
your energy levels come back up more
quickly so you don’t feel worn out the
rest of the day.
YOU AVO ID SO R EN ESS It only makes
sense that if you recover more quickly,
you’ll have less muscle soreness. And less
muscle soreness means you’ll be more
likely to work out again soon, rather than
waiting for days and days for your thighs
to stop screaming at you every time you
try to climb a stair.
Is it bad for you to hold
back your sneezes?
A N S W E R : Easy one. Yes. Sneezing is to the nose what
coughing is to the lungs. It’s your body’s way of
clearing out things that shouldn’t be there, such as
allergens and viruses. Holding a sneeze in can also
cause a rapid, intense buildup of pressure in your head and can propel germs
deep into the sinuses or ear canals, causing infections. That same pressure can
damage delicate ear membranes. Of course, there are times when it’s impolite
or embarrassing to let out a loud honk. At such times, try pinching the top of
your nose, right where the bone meets the cartilage, at the first tingle of an
oncoming sneeze. This often stops it cold. If it doesn’t, sneeze into your elbow.
There’s one important caveat about post-
workout snacks: You can’t cheat and eat
beforehand. The American Council on
Exercise points out that a hard aerobic
workout after a meal can cause your
heart to work harder, because it has to
supply both your digestive system and
your muscular system. It’s like everyone
stressing the power grid by turning on
air conditioners all at the same time. It’s
not safe, so wait 90 minutes after eating
before starting a moderate or intense
workout. —CHRISTIAN MILLMAN
2 4 6
OCTOBER 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
