Out with the old and in with the new

Now here’s a tough study to get funded: Is it true that people who try eating popcorn with chopsticks will find new delight in their popcorn? That’s just what two researchers, one from Ohio State and the other from the University of Chicago, did! And what they found went further than chopsticks and popcorn. They discovered that consuming familiar things — food, drink and videos — in new and different ways can “disrupt adaptation and revitalize enjoyment.”

Make Sure There’s a First Time (Again) for Everything

If you renew your experiences, you can power your desire to become healthier and happier.

Bored with your regular gym workout? Take a new class; try new machines.

Losing your interest in cooking? Experiment with new recipes.

Bringing a “first time” perspective to the experience can send boredom packing and increase your commitment to healthier, happier life choices.

You also can use this mantra to help you break bad habits, like hitting the drive-thru at a fast food restaurant. Take time before you get there to plan ahead for a new experience. Read the healthy meal listings; decide to order a new taste treat, such as chicken salad with unsweetened iced tea. Or if you’re a couch potato, decide to turn off the TV and take a walk after dinner — then focus on finding three new things in your neighborhood you never noticed.

Safe driving after cataract surgery

Cataracts that cloud the lens in your eye badly enough to interfere with you cruising down the highway can be the cause of bad accidents, according to a study in JAMA Ophthalmology. Luckily, the researchers found that getting a cataract removed significantly reduces your risk of being a danger to yourself or others while driving.

Researchers tracked 559,546 patients 65 years and older who underwent cataract surgery and found that traffic accident rates fell 9 percent post-surgery. Having that many fewer crashes prevents injury to drivers as well as passengers and folks in other vehicles, and saves millions of dollars in health care costs and billions of stress-related moments.

A simple eye exam can tell if you have a cataract ; the lens-replacement procedure itself is usually swift (10 minutes) and effective. For a simple procedure when you have no other relevant health problems, the complication rate is below 2 percent.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.