Could you be addicted to music? Yes!

If you find yourself craving your favorite song or artist – you’re probably a music addict...  

ASAP Science put music to the drug test and they have determined it’s addictive. That’s because listening to our favorite tunes, or catchy new songs, triggers the brain to release dopamine – and we all LOVE dopamine. 

Kids who were hooked on music and hooked up to an MRI scanner provided some hard evidence to the music addiction claims. Scientists could actually predict a future hit song by reading the activity in the pleasure center of their brains when the right chords were struck. The most addictive songs were those that had predictable melodies with a catchy chorus, leaving the kids craving more and needing to hear it again.

What is your least favorite of all your body parts?

How do you feel about your thighs? How about your derriere? 

A recent survey says the thighs are the most hated body part among women, while men aren’t nuts about their butts. Here are some more of the findings in the study: 

• 57% of women think they look fat naked – and wish they were less jiggly. 48% of men think they look just fine naked.

• When it comes to flaunting it, women ranked their cleavage as the body part they most like to show off, followed by their butts and their legs.

• Only 19% of adults say they would go to a nude beach during the day, but 29% would brave it at night.

• 47% of women feel sexier in lingerie than being naked--and 53% of men agree. 

• 71% of adults have sex with the lights on. 

• 63% often walk around the house naked. Men are far more likely to do this than women. 

• 20% of men have posed nude for a photo, compared with 15% of women. 

• 18% of men have "sexted" a naked photo, compared with 12% of women.

If you’ll be making mojitos or margaritas on a sunny summer day – beware of lime disease...

If you notice some odd tan looking spots on your hands this summer – think back... 

If you’ve been concocting margaritas or playing with limes – you may have a condition called phytophotodermatitis – also known as lime disease or margarita dermatitis.

According to dermatologist Rajani Katta, margarita dermatitis looks a bit like sunburn or poison ivy. It can be itchy or even painful and leave behind some skin discoloration.

Lime juice is the most common culprit in the summer – but celery, parsley and Queen Anne’s Lace can cause it too. The rash usually occurs when the skin has been exposed to the plant compounds, followed by sun exposure. The discomfort can by treated with hydrocortisone creams or oral antihistamines – but the discoloration of the skin could last a while – up to few months in some cases.

Some of the new light bulbs are really annoying. How to choose the right light...

Some of the new light bulbs can take a little getting used to...  

The light they shed is a bit different than we’re used to and some of them are downright annoying. If yours take too long to light up or shed a creepy cast, Consumer Reports has some tips on how to buy the right light:

• Dim bulbs: You need more lumens. Check the labelling on the packages of CFLs and LEDs for the numbers. The higher the lumens the brighter the bulb. To reple a 60-watt incandescent bulb, you need an energy-saving bulb with at least 800 lumens. 

• Weird light color: Check the Kelvin (K) number. Light color is expressed by its Kelvin temperature. The higher the Kelvin number the cooler the light. If you prefer the warm light of an incandescent, pick a CFL or LED marked 2700K or so on the Lighting Facts label. The more Kelvins - the bluer the light will be. 

• Unflattering light: You need a higher CRI. CRI indicates how accurately a lightbulb displays colors and the higher the better. Incandescent bulbs are at or near 100; most CFLs and LEDs tested were in the low-to-mid 80s. CRI isn't on the Lighting Facts label but may appear elsewhere on the package. 

• Early burnout: Return the bulb to the retailer or contact the manufacturer. You may need the model number or UPC and a receipt. And when you're buying replacements be sure the bulbs can be used in your fixtures.

Do opposites really attract?

Is there anything to the old adage that opposites attract? 

Research says – not really. Actually, it’s just the opposite. It turns out most of us actually seek out people who think and act like we do. A study by the National Academy of Sciences found that people who considered themselves attractive wanted a similarly attractive partner. If they considered themselves wealthy – they were NOT yearning for someone poor. 

The similarity attractiveness factor went beyond looks and wealth. Those with strong family values or religious beliefs felt more comfortable with like minds – while free spirits prefer to drift together. The same held true for levels of anxiety, agreeableness, extraversion and intelligence.

We all know fresh fruit is really good for us. Fruit juice – not so much...

Eating plenty of fresh fruit is a great idea...  

Drinking too much fruit juice is not. In a recent study of 1,800 people, those who drank a lot of fruit juice, more than three glasses a day, were 74% more likely to develop colorectal cancer than those who didn’t. That’s because fruit juice is missing the fiber and antioxidants – but high in sugar. That sugar can act as a rapid cellular growth stimulant, which is bad.

If you really enjoy fruit juice, just keep the daily amounts reasonable. Mixing your juice with water is a good option too – you will get used to the lighter taste in just a few days. 

Does your pet have its own special door to the house? Why burglars LOVE them...

Those dog doors sure are convenient – for crooks! 

Dog-door intruders are on the loose and if you’ve got a pet entrance – you need to beware of burglar! If you’ve got a big dog, you’ve probably got a bigger dog door - and thieves have figured that out. They’ll usually wait until they see or hear that the big dog is not home. If your pet door is small, don’t be fooled into thinking that thief can’t fit through there. They have been known to use smaller friends or children to do their dirty work or even work with mirrors and tools to unlock the big door through the little one.

There are some pretty fancy pet doors on the market now. If you’ve got the old run-of-the-mill flip style, you might want to consider replacing it with a SureFlap or PetSafe SmartDoor. They are more expensive but have some significant security features. It’s also a good idea to be sure to secure the pet door with a bar or reinforcement at night or while you’re not at home.

Does your child’s allowance meet the national average?

The economy might be struggling – but kids’ allowances still seem to be pretty reasonable...

Here is a list of the going rates, according to a recent survey by Nickelodeon:

6 – 8 years old: $ 4.80

9 – 11 years old: $ 7.00

12 - 17 years old: $16.60

Janet Bodnar, author of “Dollars & Sense for Kids,” says allowance for children under the age of 6 is not necessary. Most don’t really start learning about money until 1st grade. She says not giving them allowance usually backfires - because they’ll wind up getting money out of you anyway. Allowance helps them learn how to appreciate and manage it. As a general rule, giving them half of their age in dollars per week is an easy system for you both to understand.

Which hurts less if you’re getting a shot – watching or looking away?

The next time you need to get a shot – look away! 

It really will hurt less if you do. German researchers came to that unsurprising conclusion by subjecting volunteers to some psychological shots. They studied pupil dilation and verbal responses when the subjects were expecting the simulated shots and when they were not. The unexpected shots go much less of a reaction.

The researchers also determined that past shot experiences have something to do with perceived pain and needle-phobia. With young children it’s best to tell them to look away and that they will feel it less. Avoid saying “You won’t feel a thing” or “This won’t hurt.” It’s probably not true and just erodes trust.

What would you do without email for a week?

If you’ve ever experienced the email going down in your office...

...you probably noticed a change in the atmosphere and maybe even some panic. But what if it stayed down? Researchers with the U.S. Army and the University of California used heart rate monitors and other sensors to track two groups of office workers. One group had their email shut off for 5 days, the other group got to keep their email.

The results: The group with unlimited email access remained in a state of high-alert, while the group who had been cut-off enjoyed normal heart patterns, less stress, better focus and concentration. They also multi-tasked less and got more work done.

Our bodies shrink a bit as we age – and so do our brains. How to prevent that...

It’s bad enough that we lose some height and some hair as we age – but our brains can start to shrink as well...  

A recent study of elderly patients found that those who had diets high in trans-fats, like those found in pizza and packaged foods, actually had smaller brains and lower cognitive function than those who had healthier diets.

So what should you, your parents or grandparents be eating for bigger brains? Vitamins B, C, D and E and Omega 3 fatty acids. Some good choices would be flax seeds, salmon, sardines and walnuts.

The next time you buy honey – pick the ugly honey...

In order for honey to truly be honey – it needs to have pollen in there...

Did you know that most honey sold in grocery stores, big box stores and drug stores is not actually honey? According to the testers with Food Safety News, anywhere from 70 to 100% of the bottles, jars and bears they tested contained no pollen. Unfortunately, manufacturers go to great lengths to remove the healthy pollen because it makes the honey look prettier and also makes it impossible to detect the country of origin.

Dr. Ronald Fessenden, honey expert and author of “The Honey Revelution,” says honey without pollen is pointless. It’s missing all the good stuff, including amino acids, antioxidants and other super-healthy compounds.

To be sure you’re getting the real thing, look for honey that is labelled “raw and unfiltered.” It will probably look cloudy and start to crystallize – and that’s okay. Real honey lasts forever. Store it in a glass container at room temperature and soak that in warm water to dissolve the crystals and loosen everything up. Don’t ever microwave honey – that will compromise quality.

You can burn 100 calories without really trying. Ten ways to do it...

How would you like to burn 100 calories without trying too hard? 

Livestrong.com has 10 ways to do that:

• Go Bowling: Competitive and will burn 100 calories in 27 minutes.

• Walk the Dog: Dog owners are usually in better shape than people without pets. Walking at 4 miles per hour will burn 100 calories in about 18 minutes.

• Go Swimming: 14 minutes of normal swimming will burn off 100 calories. High-energy strokes, like the breaststroke, will rid you of your 100 calories in eight minutes.

• Jump Rope: 100 calories in just 8 minutes!

• Cook a Meal: Cooking for 33 minutes will burn off 100 calories.

• Rake the Leaves: Twenty-one minutes of raking the lawn and sacking leaves or 18 minutes of pulling out weeds will burn 100 calories.

• Dance: About 15 minutes of dancing will burn 100 calories. 

• Wash the Car: 100 calories in 18 minutes.

• Use the Stairs: 14 minutes on a step stair machine will burn 100 calories, but the stairs in your house, apartment or office building will work just as well.

Summer is prime time for some common home-improvement scams...

If someone knocks on your door suggesting you fix your driveway – don’t answer...  

That’s a common summer scam that consumer protection agencies want you to know about. Here's how it works: Someone shows up at the door saying they are “just in the neighborhood.” They’ll try to convince you that your driveway needs repair and ask for money upfront. They’ll spray a substance on your driveway, tell you not to use it for 48 hours – and then they’ll disappear. 

Don't hire pavers, painters or other workers who show up uninvited at your door. The CFA recommends that you get the worker's license plate number and call the police with a description of the vehicle.

If you’ve got a kid going off to college – brace yourself for empty nest syndrome...

For a lot parents, less laundry, cleaning, groceries and nights waiting up are little relief for empty nest syndrome... 

If you’re sending your only or last child off to college, you may need to prepare yourself a bit. You’ve done your job, you’re proud of your child – but something is bound to feel like it’s missing. For some parents, empty nest syndrome can be a big deal and can include separation anxiety, depression, loneliness and extreme worry – while others seem to take it in stride. 

If empty nest syndrome does kick in for you, keep in mind that studies have shown parent-child bonds often improve after they’ve left home, as do many marriages. If sadness or symptoms don’t start to fade by mid-terms, it may be time to seek some counseling or a support group.