April 30, 2019

The way you talk to your young children could have a big impact on their success as adults. A study found that children between 4 and 6 years old who had frequent back-and-forth conversations with a parent became better communicators and that paid off later in life with negotiation skills that led to higher salaries. Source Link 

There’s a kitchen gadget that’s a time and money saver and is good for your health. A vacuum sealer inhibits bacteria growth and can keep foods fresh for longer. You can also use a vacuum sealer to prepare your own meal kits by combining seasonings with individual portions of an entree that can go from the freezer to the oven or grill. Source Link 

The long weekend is a favorite getaway and there are ways to save on your mini-vacation. Book your rental car as far ahead as possible to get the best rates but consider waiting to find last-minute deals on unsold hotel rooms. The same strategy might also work with an Airbnb that still has an opening a few days before you plan to leave. Source Link

April 29, 2019

It’s good news for those who dread another season behind the lawnmower. Mowing less often is beneficial to bees and won't mean more disease-carrying ticks. The blood-sucking pests need a spot that’s fully damp every day and even a taller lawn is usually too dry to become a breeding ground for ticks. Source Link

With every story of a big data breach, you wonder what’s the safest way to spend using plastic? The credit card is still the best because under federal law your maximum liability for fraud is just $50. With a debit card, you could have money drained directly from your bank account that’s hard to get back quickly. The safest spending choice is still old-fashioned cash. Source Link 

If you can believe what people say, dog owners are happier than cat owners. The annual General Societal Survey found that 36 percent of dog owners were very happy compared to just 18 percent of cat owners. Even those who were very happy with no pets made up a bigger percentage than the pleased feline owners. Source Link 

April 26, 2019

Being bored can boost your creativity and brain power but only if you do it the right way. Don’t confuse relaxation with boredom, which can happen when you’re doing a familiar activity that requires no thinking or you’re just sitting quietly. The key to reaching boredom is letting your mind wander without stimulation from anything like music or a screen. Source Link 

Even in this online age, that resume is still an important tool for a job search, so make sure yours is working for you. Customize your resume for your industry - a designer’s should be creative but someone looking for a finance job needs more numbers. Either way, keep it simple because employers are more likely to read a clean and concise resume. Source Link 

If your phone’s photo gallery is overflowing there’s a technique popular with home cleanup experts that also works on a cramped camera roll. Look at each photo and ask yourself if seeing this makes you happy or if you’d want to see again. If you answer “no” to either question, the photo can probably go in the trash bin. Source Link 

April 25, 2019

Looking forward to retirement and not having to live by paycheck? You may want to think again. One way to stay on-budget during retirement is to draw a “paycheck” from your savings on a weekly or monthly basis. That’s how much money you’ll have to spend on necessities and extras during that period. Source Link 

To make cars safer you may need to be voice-free as well as hands-free. Researchers say mental distractions can last as long as 27 seconds after drivers use voice-assisted technology to dial a number, change music or send a text message. Even a quick 2-second glance at your smartphone or vehicle infotainment system can double your risk for a crash. Source Link 

Even if you’ve reached middle age as a lifelong couch potato it’s not too late to get in shape. A study found that people who started exercising in their 40s and 50s trimmed their risk of early death as much as those who had exercised all their lives. Exercising in middle age cut the odds of death from heart disease and cancer. Source Link 

April 24, 2019

You can make it easier for your child to be ready for the arrival of a new brother or sister. With toddlers, you can read picture books about new babies but pre-schoolers need more involvement. Encourage them to help plan for the new baby, let them play with their old baby toys before they’re handed down and assure them they won’t be loved any less because of the new baby. Source Link 

A personal trainer can help you strengthen your body and the same concept might help you tackle that overflowing inbox at work. You can team up with an online virtual assistant for encouragement to power through the most challenging emails. Or try a free service like FocusMate that lets you pair up with others online to keep each other on-task. Source Link 

How can you make five into ten? A 30-year study found that five good health habits could add 10 years to your life. The five good habits are maintaining a healthy diet, exercising daily, keeping a healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake and not smoking. People will all those good habits were up to 82% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease and 65% less likely to die from cancer. Source Link 

April 23, 2019

A young child will get the most benefit if you go low-tech when reading to them. Children whose parents used print books instead of a tablet or other digital device got more out of the experience. Researchers say a tablet can be distracting with its touch features and e-books with sounds and music blocked interaction between parent and child. Source Link

Are you guilty of these bad driving habits that annoy others who share the road with you? Top complaints are about people who ride in the left lane instead of using it only for passing, not using headlights in rain or snow or sitting at a green light. And if you’re behind that driver who doesn’t go on green, be kind and give them to the count of three before using your horn. Source Link


If you take vitamins your body might be better off if you put that money toward healthy foods. A study found that vitamins A and K, magnesium, zinc and copper were linked to a lower risk of death from heart disease and stroke but only when the nutrients came from foods and not from supplements. About half of those surveyed took supplements and one-third used a daily multi-vitamin. Source Link 

April 22, 2019

Want to take a walk that can improve your mood? Spend about 10 minutes walking through your office or in a store or down the street and mentally wish everyone well as you see them. A study found that people who did this reduced their own anxiety and increased happiness and feelings of social connection. Source Link 

Food and drink with added sugar can increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease in childhood. American Heart Association guidelines say children under two should have no added sugar and kids up to age 18 need less than 25 grams of added sugar daily. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks and sugary breakfast cereals are some of the biggest sources of added sugar. Source Link
That rental ride on your next vacation doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Booking your rental car early is one way to save money but don’t pre-pay because you might find a better deal later. Consider if you want to buy separate insurance and have an accident show up on your own policy and take photos of any scratches or damage that you find before you head out. Source Link 

April 19, 2019

It may be a simple prescription for longer life -- get out of that seat and move for 30 minutes a day. Researchers found that getting up for half an hour of light activity like walking when a person would usually be sitting reduced the risk of early death. Make that 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise and the benefits were doubled. Source Link 

If those vente vanilla lattes are starting to show up on your hips there’s a simple first step to kicking the flavored coffee habit. Try ordering your coffee drink unsweetened and add your own sugar to see just how much you’re using. Lots of sugar in morning drinks can increase food cravings and lead to poor eating all day long. Source Link 


When it’s time to clean up your act on that laptop make sure you have the right tools to get rid of the grime. Start with short sprays of canned air to blast away crumbs or dirt in the keyboard and dust that’s blocking the cooling vents. Then use a dry microfiber cloth to remove smudges from the screen and add a bit of water to that cloth to wipe down the case. Source Link

April 18, 2019

It’s using the carrot instead of the stick to help you lose weight -- try bribing yourself to shed those pounds. You could put a dollar in a jar that's the money you saved by eating less and then buy yourself a non-food item at the end of every month. Testing showed that adults were willing to eat less for the chance to win a prize like a gift card. Source Link 

When you’ve got a gripe with a utility, a retailer or a brand, social media could be the fast lane to better customer service. Many companies monitor Twitter and Facebook, so hashtag their name and state your complaint in detail but without personal information and include photos if possible. Experts say after regular business hours might be the best time to get some attention online. Source Link 


Need a better strategy to quit smoking? Start with medications before you snuff out that last cigarette. Testing found that starting anti-smoking drugs four weeks in advance can increase the success rate. The extra time also helped people get in the right frame of mind to quit smoking. Source Link 

April 17, 2019

Shaming people isn’t the best way to get them to care more for the environment. A study found that anticipating pride about “going green” instead of playing the guilt card is a better motivator to help people make smarter environmental decisions. People looked forward to feeling good about themselves and were more likely to make changes. Source Link 

Don’t waste your grocery budget by storing fresh produce improperly. Broccoli goes in the fridge in a closed produce bag, as do carrots, eggplant and zucchini and store spinach in a closed produce bag lined with paper towel. Tomatoes are stored on a counter and not in the fridge and onions should go in a cool, dark spot. Source Link 

Do you need to down a steaming cup or could just the thought of coffee be a wake-up call for you? Researchers say people who had thoughts of drinking coffee experienced a caffeine-like reaction in the brain. Looking at something that reminded them of coffee was enough to make the subjects more alert and attentive. Source Link 

April 16, 2019

Earth Day is just around the corner and there are some easy ways to do your part to protect the environment. Use a refillable water bottle instead of a throwaway plastic one. Switch from charcoal to cleaner-burning propane for your barbeque and recycle your household batteries with free drop-offs at retailers like Best Buy, The Home Depot, Lowe’s or Staples. Source Link 

Why shouldn’t you hold a grudge against a friend, co-worker or loved one? Because it can be truly painful for you. Researchers found that people who held a grudge felt more physical pain that had nothing to do with it. That grudge could give you a real pain in the neck, a sore back or more achiness from arthritis. Source Link 

If you’d like to cut back on red meat but love your hamburgers there’s a growing alternative. A large Portobello mushroom cap has the shape of a beef patty and great texture and flavor when grilled. That shroom burger also has more nutrients, including copper, selenium and many B vitamins. Source Link 

April 15, 2019

What could you do with an extra $1,500 a year? That’s how much food the typical family throws away but you can reduce that waste with simple steps like checking to see what you already have before you grocery shop and understanding that “sell by” dates don’t mean you can’t eat it later. And freeze and save leftovers that you don’t eat within a few days. Source Link 

Skin cancer is the most common type and you can stay on-guard by remembering your A-B-Cs and D-E-Fs. Look for a mole that’s asymmetrical, has a border with ragged edges, a color that's uneven, a diameter larger than a pencil eraser or is elevated or raised. If you see any of these in a monthly self-check then it’s time to visit a dermatologist. Source Link 

It’s a fact -- plain water is better than sports drinks for your young athlete. Most children don't exercise hard enough to need a sports drink with extra salt and sugar that can put them at risk for weight gain and tooth decay. Some drinks also contain caffeine and other stimulants that aren’t good for kids. Source Link 

April 12, 2019

When you “Take 10” to get your body busy or to slow down you may improve your memory. Research has shown that just 10 minutes of light exercise can boost your brain’s ability to store memories. And people who sat quietly for 10 minutes after getting new information were more likely to remember it later. Source Link 

If you’re a strict vacation planner, your time may not fly when you should be having fun. Studies show that over-planning can take the leisure out of that vacation because we associate schedules with work. More people enjoy spontaneous activities or casually planned events that don’t have a specific time. Source Link 

Eating well doesn’t have to be expensive when you look for foods that are good for you and easy on your wallet. Eggs are a great source of protein and a real value at less than 10 cents apiece and plain oatmeal is a fiber-rich food for pennies a serving. Chicken is a better buy than beef and bananas and fresh in-season produce are usually a good buy. Source Link 

April 11, 2019

Could a walk a day keep arthritis at bay? Researchers found that about 10 minutes a day of brisk walking helped to prevent disability in people with arthritis pain in their knee, hip, ankle or foot. An hour a week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reduced the risk of walking too slowly to safely cross a street or not being able to handle daily activities like bathing and dressing. Source Link 

Your heart is in the right place when you donate that old computer, phone or tablet but make sure your personal data doesn’t go with it. There’s a factory reset feature on your phone or tablet that will wipe away anything you’ve loaded. With a PC or laptop, you can run special software to erase data but the safest step is to remove the hard drive before you donate. Source Link 

It’s great for cleaning clothes but there are many more things you can put in your washing machine. You may know about stuffed animals and ballcaps but shower curtains, yoga mats, pillows and even backpacks can go in the washer. And you can wash things like Legos, bath scrubbers and even your pet’s toys in a mesh garment bag in the washer. Source Link 

April 10, 2019

It might seem to be at odds but drinking coffee can help you take a better nap. Pinpoint the afternoon time when you start to drag, find a quiet spot behind a closed door or on the couch, drink a cup of coffee and set a timer for 25 minutes before you start to nap. The caffeine will begin to wake you up in about 20 minutes and you won’t feel groggy after your mid-day shuteye. Source Link

More people are swapping the shot for a pill in their battle against allergies. Under-the-tongue allergy pills have caught on as a way to treat hay fever and dust mite allergies and three out of four doctors have patients who use them. Convenience is the key because pills can be taken at home but shots must be administered at the doctor's office. Source Link 

If you worry about your kids getting too much screen time, here are some ways to make it more productive. Encourage them to create by composing a song or making an ebook or producing a podcast. Let kids plan and prepare a family meal using recipes they find online or have them research the itinerary for a family vacation. Source Link 

April 9, 2019

Eating a hearty breakfast and keeping the TV off could be a great combination for your heart. People who made breakfast a full meal and didn’t watch so much TV had less hardening of the arteries. If you want more TV time, try adding some exercise by using resistance bands or step onto a treadmill while you’re enjoying your programs. Source Link 
Skimping on sleep can mean more than heavy eyelids. Testing showed that some people who got only five hours a sleep a night gained up to five pounds in a week. The good news is that the body can handle the occasional short night of sleep and you can erase that deficit by sleeping a bit longer on the weekends. Source Link 

The newest phone scam takes aim at your most-important nine-digit number. Authorities are warning about callers who claim to be a government official and say that your social security number has been suspended because it was found to be stolen. Never give personal information like a social security number, bank account number or credit card information to someone who calls you. Source Link 

April 8, 2019

The family that plays games together may have closer ties no matter where they are. Testing found that playing video games can unite generations of the same family. Word games or action games helped and you don’t have to be in the same room to benefit because online gaming improved family ties with faraway relatives. Source Link
Looking for an alternative to help you kick the soda habit? If you like the fizz, try sparkling water with a lemon twist, lime twist, crushed raspberries or a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Cola fans can switch to iced redbush tea to get the same taste and if you like ginger ale you can make your own with seltzer water, freshly grated ginger and a half-teaspoon of the natural sweetener stevia. Source Link 

Some of the worst email scams don’t come from a Nigerian prince. A study found emails that are fishing for your personal data often have simple subject lines like “request,” “follow up” and “urgent/important.” Many bogus subject lines also refer to finance and payments and play on people’s fear of losing money or not paying a bill. Source Link 

April 5, 2019

Here’s a strategy if you have an average student who’s heading to college and looking for scholarships. Check for any that may be connected to your profession or where you live and apply for the many scholarships that don’t require a high GPA. You can also use social media to search for scholarship opportunities via hashtags. Source Link 
You don’t need an evening class or an online course to become a more valuable employee. Focus on improving communications with the careful crafting of emails and overall attention to detail. Get more organized by using to-do apps or keeping your work area cleaner. And be a team player by reaching out to co-workers to help them when you can. Source Link 

Sneezing is good for you because it gets rid of allergens or viruses in your nose, but an open sneeze can travel more than 10 feet and leave germs that can linger for weeks. Sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your arm and if you sneeze into your hands, wash with soap and water because hand sanitizer won’t kill all the germs. Source Link 

April 4, 2019

For older people, weight training may build more than muscles. A study found that many of those who lifted weights also had more confidence and motivation to continue exercising. About half of the elderly participants had joined a gym or continued exercising six months after the study was completed. Source Link 
A preschooler's bedroom may be no place for a TV. Four-year-olds who watched TV in their bedroom were at increased risk for poor eating habits, overweight or obesity and social and emotional struggles in their teens. Researchers say having private access to screen time in the bedroom had an effect on growth and development. Source Link 

Is fasting a healthy way to trim those extra pounds? Experts say it can be, whether you restrict the amount of time each day when you eat or use alternate-day fasting. In time-restricted eating, the body’s circadian rhythms that control hormones can help boost metabolism and reduce weight even if someone eats the same number of calories. Source Link 

April 3, 2019

What can you do in 10 minutes once a week that will help you live a longer life? Research has shown that people who did just 10 minutes of light to moderate exercise each week had an 18 percent lower risk of early death. It didn’t stop there because the longer they exercised the lower their risk of early death. Source Link 
It may be the best way to use a 15-minute break to make your day go smoother. Workers who spent a quarter-hour on a leisurely walk through a nearby park and focused on the natural surroundings were able to concentrate better when they got back to work. If you can’t find any green space for a break, you could try meditation in a quiet place for 15 minutes. Source Link 

There are about two dozen more songs that will be permanently etched in America’s memory. The latest additions to the National Recording Registry include Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire and the Schoolhouse Rock collection. Each year the Library of Congress picks 25 recordings to add to its permanent collection. Source Link 

April 2, 2019

You can tackle spring cleaning the smart way by starting with a plan. Work from upstairs to down or one side of the house to the other and clean room by room. Environmentally-friendly cleaners may not work on tough grim and cotton or microfiber cloths can clean without scratching surfaces. And open windows to let fresh air in after using cleaning products. Source Link 

Should you turn off the tunes when you’re trying to create? Testing showed that listening to music significantly impaired verbal creativity. The sound of a library was no problem but songs with words and instrumental music were bad and the worst was listening to a song with familiar lyrics. Researchers say music can interfere with the brain’s verbal memory. Source Link 

Cyberbullying of kids can be hard to spot for parents but there are ways to protect your child. Regularly check their social network pages and teach kids not to share anything that could hurt or embarrass them or others. Tell them to talk to you if an online message or image makes them feel threatened or hurt. And encourage your kids to speak up if they see cyberbullying happening to someone else. Source Link 

April 1, 2019

The tools of the trade in car detailing will also work when the job gets done in your driveway. Ditch the old t-shirts and cotton towels and use a microfiber cloth to dry your car and avoid scratches. Use a car wash cleaner and not dish soap and have two buckets -- one for soapy water and one with plain water to rinse dirt out of your sponge. Source Link 

Exercise doesn’t have to be hot and sweaty to keep an older woman’s heart healthy. New research found that even routine housework and gardening could help because all movement counts towards better cardiovascular health. Heart disease is the leading killer of American women and about 70 percent of them aged 60 to 79 have heart disease. Source Link 

Achieving personal goals may be easier if you approach the challenge in a new way. Consistently working toward a goal in a specific way every day helps your brain turn it into a habit. And setting and achieving small goals triggers your brain to release “feel good” chemicals that will encourage you to stay the course. Source Link