An Apple a Day . . .

Have migraines? Then you might want to be sure to eat green apples, if a recent discovery by a Chicago doctor means anything. Dr. Alan Hirsch, director of the Smell and Taste Research Foundation, discovered that the scent of green apples shortened the duration and effect of migraines among test subjects, reports the November issue of Men’s Fitness. It may be a response to organic ingredients, or patients may simply associate the pleasant smell with a positive mood or memory.

Mom, Eat Your Peas

Kids, here’s your chance: Nag Mom about eating right. A UC Berkeley study found that moms may need a dose of their own good advice about healthful eating. The study looked at three generations of African American subjects and compared how healthfully daughters, mothers and grandmothers in the same family ate. In the case of mothers, researchers found that the higher the income, the worse the diet. Study director Joanne Ikeda focused on African American women as part of an effort to teach California’s county Family and Consumer Science Advisors the most culturally appropriate ways to help the diverse populations they serve.

Stylish but Comfortable

Wear sensible shoes! Mothers have given that advice to their daughters for years. And while a new study suggests that females ages 10 to 18 are wearing more comfortable shoes than in the past, they may be doing it for the wrong reason: fashion. The study by physicians at Orthopedic Hospital in Los Angeles found that 19% of young women said they never wear high heels; 38% said they wear heels once a month; and the rest, more than twice a week. But when asked how they selected their shoes, 53% said fashion was their main consideration, while 37% said the comfort of the shoe was most important.

“Because youngsters start selecting their shoes at age 8, educational programs on proper shoe fit should be targeted directly to them instead of their parents,” said Dr. Carol Frey, a Los Angeles orthopedic surgeon who co-authored the study.