A new study shows that while mens' hearts escape unharmed, after divorce a woman's heart is more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

The researchers, from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and the University of Texas at Austin, speculate that women are hard hit from both the emotional effects of divorce as well as its economic effects.

While the health benefits of marriage are well documented, this is one of the first studies to examine the effects of divorce on health. The study was published in the August 2006 issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family.

Do you every wonder whether your ear wax is normal? Does pondering why we get goose bumps keep you up at night?

And let's not forget the question that is on everyone's mind...

Why does eating a cold treat, like an ice cream or a frozen Slurpee, cause that sudden rush of head pain known as the Brain Freeze?

Inquiring minds want to know!

So who's got the answer?

None other than Mark Leyner (author of Why Do Men Have Nipples?) and Dr. Billy Goldberg, of The Body Odd, MSNBC's entertaining and informative podcast. You can hear past episodes and even post your own questions at their website.

Have you noticed how the popularity of those liquid gel hand sanitizers seems to have suddenly increased?

Not too long ago, these convenient and easy to use hand cleaners were found exclusively in hospitals or other health care settings. Not any more...

Yesterday, I spotted tiny bottles hanging in the check-out display of the grocery store. Even office supply stores, like Office Max, are carrying them as well. Moms and dads are packing small bottles of the gel in their kids' lunch boxes and stashing a container in the glove compartment of the family car as well.

But do hand sanitizers really work? And can using a hand sanitizer replace good old soap and water?

The answer is...yes and no. It all depends.

If your hands are visibly dirty, with grime and grease (or in the case of health care workers, blood or other potentially germ laden material), then head for the soap and water. Alcohol, which is the active ingredient in hand sanitizers, doesn't do a good job of cutting through grime like this. If you don't have access to soap and water, at least wipe all visible dirt away with a cloth or paper towel before applying the hand sanitizer.

Another caveat...

take a look at the ingredients label of the hand sanitizer you are using or planning to buy.

The FDA states that hand sanitizers MUST have a concentration of no less than 60%, ethanol or isopropanol, the active ingredients responsible for killing germs.

Some brands on the market today contain far less. Plus, a few recipes on the internet for homemade hand sanitizers, use far less alcohol than is recommended.

Tip from your Wellness Coach: Use soap and water as your first choice. If you need to use a liquid gel hand sanitizer, choose one with a concentration of at least 60% alcohol.

How much should you use?

Squeeze out enough of the gel to throughly wet your hands. Rub hands together until they are dry. If your hands are dry within 10 to 15 seconds, you haven't used enough.

Remember those two recent studies that talked about how just a few pounds can be detrimental to your health? To top it off, those two studies conflicted with one that suggested packing on a few pounds might actually be a good thing!

Confused yet?

Turns out that the reason behind all the confusion is that the studies relied on Body Mass Index, known as BMI, as a measure of obesity. Researchers as well as health care practitioners have long been aware that BMI has its problems and may be way off the mark in some people, particularly body builders and the elderly.

Body builders have more muscle than most of us mortals and therefore have a higher BMI. The high number isn't bad, it just reflects a greater percentage of muscle. The elderly have less muscle, so their scores may be falsely depressed.

So what does all this mean? Turns out that there's a better way to measure whether an individual has excess body fat.

That measure is the waist-to-hip ratio, a measurement that divides the circumference of your waist by your hip measurement. A high waist-to-hip ratio (no more than 0.8 for women, 0.95 for men) more accurately predicts heart attack risk and other obesity-related diseases than BMI.

What this really means is that if your belly is sticking out further than your hips, your heart could be headed for trouble! Fat stored in the abdomen can lead to inflammation in your arteries which can cause clogging.

Tip from your Wellness Coach: To calculate your waist-to-hip ratio, stand in a relaxed position, then measure your waist at it's smallest place (the navel) and then measure your hips at their largest spot (over your buttocks). Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement to get your number. (If your belly droops over your belt, then don't cheat by measuring under the protrusion!)

Ok, so we now know that rich people live longer than poor people and in general, enjoy better health. After I wrote about this a couple of weeks ago here at The Oasis, some of my readers suggested that they should give up right now, because they aren't rich and probably never will be!

But now, a new study published in the August 17th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine , suggests that even a modest increase in income for people over 55, even if they aren't rich, can translate into increased health. And a lot more income means even more gains in health status. In medicine, this is called the dose response, which simply means that the more money you make, the healthier you are likely to be.

If you are age 55 and firmly ensconsed in the middle-class, a modest increase in your income can translate into modest, but real health benefits.

So what are you waiting for?

Go ask for that raise right now!