Shauna Wright
![Love Salt? You Probably Did As a Kid, Too — Health Check](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/saltysnacks.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Love Salt? You Probably Did As a Kid, Too — Health Check
If salty foods are your weakness, blame your childhood. Research has found that babies given such foods can develop a preference for them that carries over into adulthood.
![Is Happiness on the Decline? Let’s Look to Twitter — Health Check](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/twitter-words-happiness-decline.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Is Happiness on the Decline? Let’s Look to Twitter — Health Check
Whether you love or hate Twitter, the microblogging site has revolutionized online communication and some scientists are even using it to ascertain worldwide mood. Though, what they’ve found is kind of a bummer.
![This Day in History for December 22 – ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repealed and More](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/dadt.jpg?w=980&q=75)
This Day in History for December 22 – ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repealed and More
Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:
1807 – At the urging of President Thomas Jefferson, Congress passes the Embargo Act, forbidding trade with all foreign countries (More info)
1941 – British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrives in Washington, DC for a series of meetings with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on a unified Anglo-American war strate
![Celebrity Birthdays for December 22 – Ralph Fiennes, Jordin Sparks and More](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/dec22.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Celebrity Birthdays for December 22 – Ralph Fiennes, Jordin Sparks and More
Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:
Ralph Fiennes
Age: 49
Occupation: Actor
Known For: Playing Lord Voldemort in the ‘Harry Potter’ film series, giving Oscar-nominated performances in ‘The English Patient’ and ‘Schindler’s List,’ and a 2007 incident in which he joined the Mile High Club with a Qantas flight attendant
![Nurture Your Baby Now for Better Relationships Later — Health Check](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/mother-baby.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Nurture Your Baby Now for Better Relationships Later — Health Check
Want to make sure your new baby will have healthy relationships later in life? Nurture the bond you have with him or her now.
A new study with 75 kids over a 20-year period found those with secure emotional attachments to their mothers were later better at resolving and recovering from relationship conflicts and enjoyed more stable, satisfying ties with romantic partners in early adulthood.
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![Why Do the Holidays Make Us So Nostalgic?](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/christmastree.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Why Do the Holidays Make Us So Nostalgic?
There’s something about the holiday season that often makes us all a little nostalgic. And it’s not just the result of carefully-crafted marketing by retailers — psychological experts say that wistful feeling has an actual purpose.
Krystine Batcho, a professor of psychology at Le Moyne College in New York, says nostalgia helps us feel connected to one another and can even ease pain during a crisis
![Why Is Christmas the Perfect Time for Telling People They’re Overweight? — Health Check](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/obeseman.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Why Is Christmas the Perfect Time for Telling People They’re Overweight? — Health Check
Who says the holidays have to be all warm and fuzzy? According to some health groups in the UK, Christmas can be the perfect time to tell a loved one he or she is overweight.
It may sound rude, but experts insist the health risks involved with obesity, including diabetes, heart disease and stroke, make it worth the uncomfortable conversation.
![Celebrity Birthdays for December 21 – Samuel L. Jackson, Kiefer Sutherland and More](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/dec21.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Celebrity Birthdays for December 21 – Samuel L. Jackson, Kiefer Sutherland and More
Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:
Samuel L. Jackson
Age: 63
Occupation: Actor
Known For: Appearing in more than 100 movies, most notably ‘Pulp Fiction,’ the ‘Star Wars’ prequel trilogy, and ‘Snakes on a Plane,’ being an avid golfer, and his hilariously and famously foul mouth
![This Day in History for December 21 – Pilgrims Land on Plymouth Rock and More](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/Landing_of_the_Pilgrims.jpg?w=980&q=75)
This Day in History for December 21 – Pilgrims Land on Plymouth Rock and More
Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:
1620 – William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims land on what is now known as Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts (More info)
1898 – Pierre and Marie Curie discover radium (More info)
![Obesity Isn’t Just Bad for Your Body, It’s Bad for Your Wallet, Too — Health Check](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/obesity.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Obesity Isn’t Just Bad for Your Body, It’s Bad for Your Wallet, Too — Health Check
The health risks of obesity are well-documented, but there’s a financial downside, too — data shows obese people also earn less money, especially women.
![Facebook Friends Dumping You? It’s Probably Something You Said [INFOGRAPHIC]](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/facebook-kids.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Facebook Friends Dumping You? It’s Probably Something You Said [INFOGRAPHIC]
If you recently lost a slew of Facebook friends, it probably wasn’t a glitch. Go back and look at your timeline because the chances are good it’s your own fault.
That’s what a new study from Nielsen seems to indicate anyway. The group surveyed about 2,000 adults to learn why Facebook users add and remove friends, and the results may surprise you.
![Can You Stop Future Heart Attacks by Checking Your Blood Pressure? — Health Check](http://townsquare.media/site/126/files/2011/12/bloodpressure.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Can You Stop Future Heart Attacks by Checking Your Blood Pressure? — Health Check
Getting your blood pressure taken isn’t the most fun activity in the world, but now it looks like we have a better reason to get it measured than simply “because we have to.”
Sorry to freak you out, but scientists discovered blood pressure fluctuations in middle age may be a precursor to both heart attacks and strokes.