Coffee may be king in the morning, but there’s another beverage out there that’s growing in popularity in the United States. As people switch from sodas and sugary drinks, we’re drinking more tea these days.

Aside from drinking for the taste of it, science is looking at how tea affects our brains. A new study shows increased connectivity in parts of the brain associated with memory.

Beyond that, tea has also been found to be a mood booster – there’s also suggestions that tea could improve the symptoms of depression.

And aside from our mental health, some benefits towards our physical health have been found – it’s been linked to longer life, a reduction of cardiovascular disease like heart attack and stroke, and it may also help reduce fat. The flavanols found in tea have been linked with lower blood pressure, along with other flavanol-heavy foods like berries and apples.

While these studies are still in their early stages, if you’re just looking for something to just help relax for a few moments of your day, a cup of tea may be just what the doctor ordered!

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In Connecticut, we love our pizza – and there’s few things better than a fresh hot pizza. A close second, is cold pizza the next day. And grabbing a slice for breakfast might not be that bad for you – in fact, it’s likely better than what you had this morning!

It may not be as healthy as oatmeal, but compared to most breakfast cereals, pizza has more nutritional value.

Calorie-wise, the pizza and a bowl of cereal with whole milk are nearly identical. But in terms of protein, the pizza has more of it and will keep you full longer. It has more fat, but it has a lot less sugar, so you won’t experience that quick crash.

An average serving of sugary cereal will have 20 grams of sugar – for men, that’s more than half of the recommended 37.5 grams per day, and for women, it’s almost nearly all of the 25 grams that’s recommended.

Comparatively, pizza is the better choice – you’ll get protein, fiber, calcium, and iron with little sugar – but on the other hand, you’ll get fat and sodium too. And if it’s a stuffed-crust meat lovers pizza, you’re probably better off with the cereal.

But if you’re looking for a quick, healthier solution the night after take out, cold pizza is actually kind of good for you!

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You do what you can to avoid high blood pressure. But when you go in for your physical, are you getting it measured correctly?

Johns Hopkins University researchers did a study and found some high blood pressure diagnoses have been wrong because of how your arm is positioned when doctors put the cuff on.

They looked at when your arm is supported on a desk, when it’s on a patient’s lap, and when it’s hanging at the side – and the best way to do it is when an arm is on a desk or table and the cuff is at heart level.

This is how it’s set when you use the machine at the grocery store, and how it’s been recommended for many years, but not every doctor’s office does it that way. And it makes a big difference. By as much as seven points it can misdiagnose hypertension, which may make a doctor prescribe medication you may not need.

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When you need medicine, you go to your doctor, get a prescription, and you pick it up at the pharmacy. But if you don’t have the time to get something from behind-the-counter, a new list is out – the annual “Over-the-Counter Guide” – and it’s what pharmacists recommend for common ailments:

If you’ve got a headache, reach for the Tylenol – they recommend it over Advil.

Your best bet for allergies is Claritin – and Children’s Claritin for kids too.

It’s flu season again, and Theraflu is what you’ll need.

Sunscreen is probably on sale, and pharmacists say that Neutrogena is best for your skin.

And finally, the one product we all buy a lot more of than we used to – the best hand sanitizer is Purell.

So, stock up now and you’ll be set for the next time you don’t feel well!

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