We have to admit that after reading about the recent bedbug outbreak at New York City retailers Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch and hearing a few secondhand tales of infestations, we’ve been suspiciously eying every scrap of fabric that enters our home. The more we learn, the more we wish the blood-sucking creatures existed only in the nursery rhyme of yore. In the interest of possibly sleeping tight once more, we spoke to bedbug expert Jeff White, research entomologist with Bed Bug Central for some tips about bedbug avoidance, detection and control.

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Every now and then, when plagued by a random ache or depleted energy, we feel like our warranty is up. Our body just doesn’t run as smoothly as it used to. To Age or Not to Age, a new documentary from Robert Kane Pappas, tackles this age-old (no pun intended) quandary of getting older. In the film, Pappas interviews molecular biologists about the recent discovery of SIRT1, a gene that controls longevity, and also covers what experiments in life extension of yeast, worms and mice might mean for humans’ potential lifespan.

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When we heard about brain cancer survivor Anne Feeley’s 4,170-mile cycling trip across the U.S., we were inspired. After being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2006, doctors told Feeley that her chances of survival were slim. The median survival rate of a glioblastoma multiforme tumor, a diagnosis she shares with the late Ted Kennedy, is 15 months. “Brain cancer was a wake-up call for our whole family,” Feeley says. “The shock wasn’t that I was going to die, but that I had forgotten that I was going to die. We all are. Life isn’t a dress rehearsal.”

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We thought we knew everything about choosing the right sunscreen: We can recite the recommendations of the American Academy of Dermatology in our sleep. Pick a product with an SPF of 30 or higher that offers broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays and don’t be fooled into thinking your tinted moisturizer is an adequate sun shield (the thin layer you apply is too scant for anything more than an incidental walk); apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before venturing outdoors, even on a cloudy day. While that’s all solid advice, it turns out there’s an environmental consideration as well: If you’re going to be spending your summer days on the beach, be sure to choose a sunscreen that won’t harm coral reefs.

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When we get word of a “facelift” that doesn’t involve surgery, our skepticism meter immediately starts running. Sure, cosmetic treatments like “lifting” facials feel good and make our skin glow for a short time, but for a real wrinkle overhaul, we know that nothing supplants the scalpel. But plastic surgeon David M. Alessi, M.D., FACS (left), who recently invited us to his Beverly Hills, CA, office to see his latest handiwork, the FAB Facelift, actually does deliver a youthifying treatment without a single cut.

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We loved a good day of soaking up the sun sans sunscreen in our youth, but now that we’re older we know better than to venture outside without slathering on some SPF 30 along with a few swipes of our Shiseido Sun Protection Stick. Still, far too many of us don’t take enough precaution. A recent nationwide survey of 7,000 adults commissioned by the American Academy of Dermatology revealed that some cities are taking sun safety to heart, while others still have a long way to go.

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A former co-worker once told us a story of a girl who went to the doctor and found a tick buried deep inside her ear. “It was almost to her brain!” he insisted. Given that he also tried to convince us we might be host to an earwig, we’re pretty sure he was exaggerating to tease us. The threat of tick bites, however, is a genuine concern of ours, since nymphal deer ticks can transfer Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system if left untreated. May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, so we thought we’d share some tips for preventing tick bites this summer.

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We try to make our wellness a priority, but with work deadlines creeping up on us, meetings to plan and a family to take care of, our health often ends up on the back burner. To combat this “me-second” mentality, we plan to celebrate National Women’s Health Week, going on through May 15. This year’s theme, “It’s Your Time,” reminds us to carve out a few minutes to schedule our yearly health exams — and to reassess our nutrition and fitness goals!

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When we heard that it was STD Awareness Month, we had flashbacks to the awkward high-school-health-class slide shows about sexually transmitted diseases. So when we learned that middle-aged adults have the highest incidence of certain sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, we were shocked. According to Michelle Sobel, co-founder of STDTestExpress.com and sexual health blogger on Unzipped, not enough is being done to educate sexually active adults.

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We admit we’re pretty hard on our toothbrushes, and we replace them even more often than the every three to four months recommended by the American Dental Association. So we were happy to hear about the Radius Source Toothbrush, which minimizes waste with replaceable heads that snap into long-lasting handles made of recycled materials. And if you’re one of the first 500 Facebook users to post a photo or video of a re-use for your old toothbrush on the Radius Earth Day Contest Facebook event page before Earth Day, you’ll receive a free Radius Source toothbrush!

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