by Gabrielle on April 27, 2010
Want your kids, spouse or co-worker to lend a helping hand? They’re more likely to pitch in if they see someone else being kind first—even if it’s on TV. In fact, the journal Psychological Science reports that volunteers who watched a segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show where musicians thanked their mentors spent twice as more time helping a research assistant afterward as those who viewed funny TV clips. The link? Seeing someone else do a selfless act creates the kind of warm and fuzzy feeling that makes us want act selflessly, too.
[photo: still wanderer]
by Gabrielle on April 27, 2010
Whether you’re flying off to your dream vacation or visiting your aunt just a car ride away, finding a drugstore, restaurant, wi-fi connection and other necessities within seconds is easy. For…
* Drugstores, restaurants, hair salons, banks and other businesses… Try mashspots.com, which lists all nearby options on a Google map, pinpointing exactly where they are and how to get there.
* Free wi-fi… Log onto we-fi.com or jiwire.com to find the closest cafes, libraries, hotels and other businesses that offer a complimentary connection.
* Fun events… At eventful.com and zvents.com, you can learn about music, arts and crafts, plays, festivals and other free and low-cost activities that are taking place during your visit.
[photo: Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL]
by Gabrielle on April 25, 2010
Keeping tabs on your health by eating right, exercising and busting stress isn’t the only way to live longer. It’s also important to…
* Skip an indoor lightning bolt. Stay away from the toilet, sink and bathtub during thunderstorms. If lightning hits close to your home, a deadly charge can jump through the plumbing and zap you, according to the National Weather Service.
* Avoid a car accident with a dashboard mount. Reaching for an unsecured object—like your cell phone, sunglasses or iPod—as you drive makes you eight times more likely to swerve out of your lane, a Mayo Clinic study shows.
* Escape a fire by checking smoke alarms. The most common reason a house fire results in serious injury: no early warning. While most homes have smoke alarms, nearly a third have no working batteries, reveals a Morehouse School of Medicine study.
* Protect your health by dodging cigarette smoke. Think only smokers have a higher risk of heart disease and cancer? Not so! Secondhand smoke is also harmful since it contains the same deadly toxins that smokers breathe in, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[photo: atomicjeep]
by Gabrielle on April 25, 2010
According to a recent study in the journal PLoS ONE, we end up throwing away an astonishing 40% of the food from our fridge and cabinets, usually because they expire before we eat them. Luckily, there’s an easy way to make use of all your food before it goes bad: Log onto supercook.com and simply type in the ingredients you have in your kitchen. You’ll be given hundreds of links to easy recipes for soups, appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts that use all those items so they don’t go to waste.
[photo: carolyn.will]
by Gabrielle on April 23, 2010
Want to learn tips to improve your workout, business, parenting or organizational skills? At webinarboxoffice.com, you can scroll through a calendar of upcoming webinars—live online video classes—on these and other topics taught by experts to find the ones you like. Then click the link to join in on the date and time it begins. Many of free, some request a nominal fee.
[photo: Andrew Currie]
by Gabrielle on April 23, 2010
Frustrated when friends and family don’t heed your wise words even though you know it will save them time, money and aggravation? The problem may be the way you’re delivering your advice. According to a new study in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, most folks tune out when you offer your opinion for or against a particular option because they feel like you’re making the decision for them. Yet, they’re all ears when you provide information about aspects of their options they may not have known about—for instance, that an appliance they’re considering purchasing is on sale at a nearby store or that a friend had a bad experience with a mechanic they were thinking of taking their car to. By sharing new facts, others still feel like they’re in control of making their decision, plus the extra information you give them makes them more confident about their choice.
[photo: laughlin]
by Gabrielle on April 22, 2010
Love flowers, shrubs and trees, but steer clear of them because they trigger itchy, watery eyes and a runny nose? Good news: It’s easy to plant a colorful garden that doesn’t emit annoying allergens, says Thomas Leo Ogren, author of Allergy-Free Gardening. Start with…
* “Formal double” flowers: These are hybrids whose stamens—the part that produces pollen—turn into petals, making them pollen-free. Plus, the extra petals make these flowers fuller so they’re even more eye-popping! Look for formal double impatiens (pictured), chrysanthemums, camellias, daisies, mums, dahlias, asters and bougainvillea. Tip: For more pollen-free flowers, look for old-fashioned Hydrangea macrophylla, Cecile Brunner and Banksia roses and Reigers begonias.
* Female trees and shrubs: Believe it or not, you’re probably not allergic to a specific type of tree or shrub, but rather to the male version of it. Turns out, males churn out pollen, but females don’t. So, how can you tell which is which? Most male trees and shrubs will be labeled “seedless” or “fruitless” since only females produce seeds or fruit. You can even find all-female grass; look for Prairie or 609 buffalo grass sod and plugs or Princess 77 hybrid Bermuda grass seed.
* Gravel or rock mulch: Wood chips and tree bark mulches may carry mold spores, which can trigger allergic reactions.
* A bird feeder and bird bath: Attracting birds to your yard is like inviting an allergy-blocking army. That’s because they gobble up insects that cover plants in a sticky residue that attracts mold spores in the air.
[photo: knitgirl63]
by Gabrielle on April 20, 2010
This kitchen staple costs just a couple of dollars a bottle, yet does everything from remove carpet stains and polish brass to unclog showerheads and make old towels feel new again. Find out the dozens of other ways vinegar can replace pricey household cleaners and keep old items working like new at versatilevinegar.org.
by Gabrielle on April 20, 2010
Now that your feet are on display in sandals and open-toe pumps, you’re probably getting more pedicures so they look their very best. Whether you do your pedicures yourself or get them done professionally at a salon, the American Podiatric Medical Association points out important ways to keep your feet safe from harmful infections they can cause:
* Wait to shave your legs till after a pedicure. Small nicks can provide a place for bacteria to enter when you soak your feet.
* Skip foot razors for nixing calluses. Even if your nail technician says she’s skilled at using one, forget it! Razors can result in permanent damage and easily cause infection if too much skin is removed. Opt instead for a pumice stone, foot file or exfoliating scrub. To use: Soak feet in warm water for five minutes, then gently rub.
* Avoid cutting cuticles. They’re your body’s natural protective barrier, stopping infection-causing bacteria from getting into the nail bed.
* Wipe off moisturizer between your toes. Excess moisture here can up your risk of developing athlete’s foot or a fungal infection.
[photo: D. Sharon Pruitt]
by Gabrielle on April 16, 2010
Frustrated by a fussy toddler or pre-schooler who stays awake long past bedtime? Texas Tech University child development researcher Sybil Hart, Ph.D., says she has the answer: sing your child a soothing nursery rhyme while giving her a relaxing massage. In her new book, Lullaby Massage: Rhyme & Touch Massage for Infants and Children, she explains that this calming combo helps youngsters transition from the high-intensity energy of daytime to a more peaceful state so they can unwind and drift off more easily.
[photo: SantaRosa]
by Gabrielle on April 16, 2010
Before you fill out expense reports, draw up a budget or do other arithmetic-related tasks, nibble dark chocolate first. Its rich supply of flavanols increases blood flow to the brain, making it easier to do mentally demanding math problems. In fact, in a recent study out of the U.K.’s Northumbria University, folks did significantly better at counting backwards from 999 in threes and were less mentally exhausted by the math challenge on days when they drank a dark chocolate drink than on the days they skipped it.
