✚Helpful Hints #8

HEALTH and WELLNESS

GOT MILK?  GET A SHARPER MEMORY!

Frequently forgetting where you put your keys?  Having trouble recalling information you just learned?
Forgetfulness is one of the most common signs of stress - and new research in the journal Nutrition Research has pin-pointed a super-easy way to thwart it:  Drink a yogurt smoothie or a glass of milk every day.  Turns out, phospholipids - certain fats in dairy products that help keep cell membranes healthy - rev recall by improving your brain's ability to adapt to chronic stress, particularly in neurons where new memories are formed!

SANITIZING SURFACES SUPER CHEAPLY

Forget those pricey germ-killing scrubs, sprays, foams and the like:  Research shows that plain old bleach trumps them all, killing nearly 100% of illness-causing bugs on kitchen and bathroom surfaces within minutes.
To do:  Once weekly, mix 1 oz. (29.57ml), of bleach into 1 qt. (0.946 litre), of water.  Put on rubber gloves and using a clean cloth, wipe common resting spots for bacteria and viruses, including faucet handles, door-knobs and cupboard latches.

BEAUTY and FASHION
MAKE HAIR SUPER-SHINY! (THE ITALIAN WAY)

Olive oil!  Olive oil is a big reason Italian women are known for their lustrous hair.  The golden oil is rich in fatty acids that coat and protect the hair, leaving it soft and glossy!
Make your own - Deep Conditioning Treatment!
Massage olive oil (1 Tbsp. for fine or short hair, 2-3 Tbsps. for thick or long hair) into your hair and scalp.  Place a warm towel or shower cap over your hair for 15-30 minutes, allowing the heat to help the oil penetrate each strand.  Then shampoo, condition and rinse.

GIVE YOUR SKIN A WORKOUT!
Going for a walk? Hitting the gym?  Before you go, wash your face and apply a light serum or moisturizing cream.  As your body starts to heat up, and your blood starts to pump, the beauty treatments easily penetrate deep into your skin.  What's more, the boost in your circulation helps the products work at optimum levels!

HOME and AUTO
BAD WINTER DRIVING HABIT:  LOCKING YOUR BRAKES
Braking in winter requires the driver to adapt to road conditions. Today, most new automobiles are equipped with ABS (anti-lock braking system), which prevents the wheels from locking up on slick surfaces. If one or more wheels begins to lock during hard braking, the system prevents those wheels from skidding by pulsating the brakes several times per second, allowing the driver to both slow down and steer. When ABS is active, you'll hear and feel a rumbling sound coming from the vehicle - while this may startle you, whatever you do, don't let off the pedal!

If your vehicle is not equipped with this feature, it's important to brake firmly without locking the wheels. This is called threshold braking. You want to do everything you can to avoid locking the wheels, as you'll not only skid, but you'll also lose your ability to steer around obstacles.

COMMON DECOR MISTAKE: BAD LIGHTING
The Problem: The worst offenders include glaring overhead lighting and the unflattering old-school fluorescent bulbs that make your bathroom look like something from an '80s horror flick.
The Solution: Use soft white bulbs and dimmer switches for your overhead lights. And make sure your CFL bulbs are marked "warm white."

FOOD and DRINK
HEALTHIEST WAY TO STORE MUSHROOMS
To reap the most nutritional benefit from mushrooms, store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator, not in the plastic-wrapped container they're sold in.  And don't clean them until you're ready to use them!

NEVER THAW OR MARINATE FOODS ON THE COUNTER
Many people are surprised at this tip. But since bacteria can multiply rapidly at room temperature, thawing or marinating foods on the counter is one of the riskiest things you can do when preparing food for your family.

To thaw food safely, choose one of these options:

• Thaw in the refrigerator. This is the safest way to thaw meat, poultry, and seafood. Simply take the food out of the freezer and place it on a plate or pan that can catch any juices that may leak. Normally, it should be ready to use the next day.
• Thaw in cold water. For faster thawing, you can put the frozen package in a watertight plastic bag and submerge it in cold water. Be sure to change the water every 30 minutes. Note: If you thaw this way, be sure to cook the food immediately.
• Thaw in the microwave. Faster thawing can also be accomplished in the microwave. Simply follow instructions in your owner’s manual for thawing. As with thawing in cold water, food thawed in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
• Cook without thawing. If you don’t have enough time to thaw food, just remember, it is safe to cook foods from a frozen state—but your cooking time will be approximately 50% longer than fully thawed meat or poultry.

To marinate food safely, always marinate it in the refrigerator.

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PETS AND ANIMALS
SOS FOR A DOGGY BREATHING SPASM
If your pug sometimes startles you with a series of snorting and gasping noises, you're probably witnessing a spasm of the soft palate.  Small dogs, especially short-faced breeds, are particularly susceptible to these spasms, which can be caused by dust or pollen irritation, eating, drinking or just running around.  To stop the spasm, gently massage your dog's throat area or carefully pinch his nostrils.  Forcing him to take air in through his mouth will aid airflow and eventually stop the attack.

Sprigs of fresh dill

KEEP PETS FROM GETTING GASSY
When the pet store ran out of your pal's brand of wet food, you had to buy her a different kind, resulting in an upset stomach.  to ease her discomfort, add some finely chopped fresh dill to her food daily for three to four days.  This herb has been shown to ease gas, bloat and cramps.  For dogs and cats under 10 pounds,use a small pinch.  Give a large pinch for pets up to 20 pounds and 1 tsp. for those up to 50 pounds.  For dogs over 50 pounds, give 2 tsp. of dill.

Money saving
ideas and tips

MONEY and FINANCE
SNEAKY WAYS TO SAVE ON ELECTRONICS!
Shopping for electronics can be confusing - and that's how many retailers want it!  After all, it makes you more likely to pay extra for a device when a far less expensive one can fit your needs.  Read on to see what you should skip and what you should buy!


COMPUTERS
Skip:  Upgraded Processor
Buy:   More RAM
While an upgraded processor means your computer will work faster, average users won't notice a difference!  That's because standard processors are more than adequate for most people's usage.  The real slowdown comes from too little memory - and that's easy to fix by adding more RAM when you buy the computer.  Bonus:  Your computer won't become outdates as quickly!


CAMERAS
Skip:  Mega megapixels
Buy:   Bigger image sensor
More megapixels means a camera takes larger photos, yet the average device takes images than can print up to 11" x 17".  To really get better photos, the camera needs a bigger image sensor, which can capture more detail.  Since manufacturers use different formats for image sensor sizes, look up the camera you want at sensor-size.com.


TVs
Skip:  Super-fast refresh rate
Buy:   120 Hz refresh rate
A gelevision's refresh rate indicates how many times per second the screen is updated.  And while a bigger number equals better image quality, there's no need to spend extra for anything over 120 Hz.  Why?  Your eye actually can't detect anything higher than a refresh rate of 120 Hz, so it's like throwing money out the window!

Pet Peeves in the Workplace!

What habit irks workers more than anything else?

Seventy-eight percent of 17,000 workers surveyed by LinkedIn said they were most annoyed by people who do not take ownership of their actions.

Pet peeves in the workplace tend to vary by country, gender, and job.  Want to annoy a worker in Germany?  Make a mess in the luch room.  If you want to get along with your co-workers in Japan, don't pullany pranks.  And if you are in the US, don't swipe someone else's food.

Overall, workers in India reported having the most pet peeves while Italian workers reported having the least.  Not surprisingly, women are much more likely than men to be annoyed by their co-workers' revealing clothing.

Top five global pet peeves

1. People not taking ownership for their actions
2. Constant complainers
3. Dirty common areas
4. Starting meetings late or going long
5. People who don't respond to emails

Resource(s):

Reader's Digest magazine, foodsafety.gov/, Consumer Reports magazine, The Oprah magazine, Womans World magazine, autos.ca.msn.com/, Men's Health magazine, Best Health magazine, Money magazine, Macleans magazine, Better Homes and Garden magazine, First-for-Women magazine