For Your Health

A new study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology says thirdhand cigarette smoke — that's the residue left behind on furniture, walls and carpeting — can linger and be inhaled months later. Over time this could contribute to asthma or even cancer:

"Quantitatively, exposure via secondhand smoke is much greater and a more likely concern with regards to health," says study researcher Yael Dubowski, PhD, a senior lecturer at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel. "However, exposure to harmful compounds via thirdhand smoke and thirdhand smoke transformations is an additional source for skin and lung exposure."

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Research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine says housework can be bad for the heart. Simple chores like cleaning and cooking can actually cause your blood pressure to skyrocket:

The findings, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, suggest it's not the workload itself but the stress about how to cope with it that causes the damage.

The researchers said: "The perceived responsibility for household tasks, rather than the time spent doing those tasks, is what's most distressing."

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It may be winter and no time for tanning, but forget the sun! Scientists say that eating your fruit and vegetables is actually the best way to achieve a healthy, golden glow:

Lead researcher Dr Ian Stephen, from the University of Bristol said: "Most people in the West think that the best way to improve your skin colour is to get a suntan.

"But our research shows that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is actually more effective."

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