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5 active hobbies your family MUST do
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While it may be tempting to spend your free time snuggled up with Netflix, pajamas and hot chocolate, studies show how engaging in physical activities does wonders for you and your family. - photo by Armela Escalona
Armela Escalona
FamilyShare
Published: Feb 2, 2016, 8:10 AM
Family members who engage in active hobbies get a boost of physical activity essential for ones heart, muscles and overall health. Aside from positive effects on the body, exercise is a good way to improve your kids and your cognitive skills; and a recent study has linked exercise to improved thinking and memory skills. So its no wonder family members who spend more time together outside have better relationships.

Convinced and ready to do an active family hobby? Try one from the list below.

1. Biking

Have you seen someone frowning while riding a bicycle? No. Thats because cycling makes people happy. This worthwhile activity is a great mood-booster and stress-reducer. Cycling is also a great way to burn calories, reduce traffic and pollution and save money from the ever-increasing price of gasoline. So, next Sunday, instead of your usual movie binge watching, rent a few bikes from your local bike shop and take your family out on a fun bike ride!

2. Swimming

Getting your family to play in water is a fun and healthy kind of exercise. It doesnt matter where you swimthe community pool or an outdoor hot spring. Remember that swimming is an essential survival skill you need to teach your kids while they are still young. Not sure where to look? Try this site that helps you find swimming pools in your area.

3. Camping

Camping is a fun activity to try with your family. You can roast marshmallows, tell campfire stories and teach kids survival skills while enjoying the great forests. Also, spending time in nature has known positive effects on ones brain. Fresh air is also great for the lungs and has wonderful effects on ones immune system. People who are cooped up in their own homes develop lower immunity than those who are often exposed to nature or those living close to farms and woods.

4. Gardening

Kids love the dirt. They love playing in mud puddles, watching seeds grow and watering plants. It doesnt matter if you are a seasoned gardener or a complete novice, a fun way to teach your children the importance of taking good care of plants is through gardening. Watching a baby seed grow to an adult plant is one of the most magical things on earth.

5. Bowling

Bowling is fun, competitive and a great exercise for your arm and leg muscles. It also improves posture and helps tone and strengthen muscles. What more can you ask for in a family activity! Bowling can even help you burn the fat you gained last holiday season. Kids easily learn it, and you often meet fun people in the bowling alley.

Like any other kind of hobby, physical activities are best enjoyed with the family and strengthen family bonds. Strong family bonds help raise happy and healthy children who will be more likely to become successful in their lives.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.