How to Transform Your House Into a Haunted House

Trying to make fun plans for the kids for Halloween night? Create fun right in your own home by transforming it into a haunted house. Here are 6 simple steps that can turn your house into the scariest place in town.

1. Pick a location.

The scares don’t always have to happen in your living room; if the basement or backyard is more suitable, set up there instead. Pick a safe, open space and draw up a floor plan of how the finished product should look.

2. Set a budget.

Last-minute props and special effects can add up quickly. Before you begin shopping, think about how much you want to spend on things like decorations and music.

3. Make it dark.

Keep your haunted house dramatic by covering the windows with trash bags or dark blankets. The darkness will keep your guests tense and engaged throughout the night.

4. Create an atmosphere.

You can enhance your haunted house with many special effects — hang spider webs made of wet string, use dry ice to create a smoky cauldron effect, or play eerie background music throughout the house.

5. Keep your audience in mind.

Your haunted house may end up being too scary for young children. Set an age limit for your attraction, or have a few adults participate with you. They can keep an eye on children and direct them to less frightening areas.

6. Advertise.

Get the word out at the beginning of the month, when most guests will still have their calendars wide open. You can send out spooky invitations, or simply hang signs around town.

Secrets of Straight-A Students

Master the basic techniques that top students use to get good grades

Everyone knows about straight-A students. We see them frequently in TV sitcoms and in movies like Revenge of the Nerds. They get high grades, all right, but only by becoming dull grinds, their noses always stuck in a book. They’re klutzes at sports and dweebs when it comes to the opposite sex.

How, then, do we account for Domenica Roman or Paul Melendres?

Roman is on the tennis team at Fairmont (W.Va.) Senior High School. She also sings in the choral ensemble, serves on the student council and is a member of the mathematics society. For two years she has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average (GPA), meaning A’s in every subject.

Melendres, now a freshman at the University of New Mexico, was student-body president at Valley High School in Albuquerque. He played varsity soccer and junior- varsity basketball, exhibited at the science fair, was chosen for the National Honor Society and National Association of Student Councils and did student commentaries on a local television station. Valedictorian of his class, he achieved a GPA of 4.4 — straight A’s in his regular classes, plus bonus points for A’s in two college-level honors courses.

How do super-achievers like Roman and Melendres do it? Brains aren’t the only answer. “Top grades don’t always go to the brightest students,” declares Herbert Walberg, professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who has conducted major studies of super-achieving students. “Knowing how to make the most of your innate abilities counts for more. Infinitely more.”

In fact, Walberg says, students with high I.Q.s sometimes don’t do as well as classmates with lower I.Q.s. For them, learning comes too easily and they never find out how to buckle down.

Hard work isn’t the whole story, either. “It’s not how long you sit there with the books open,” said one of the many A students we interviewed. “It’s what you do while you’re sitting.” Indeed, some of these students actually put in fewer hours of homework time than their lower-scoring classmates.

The kids at the top of the class get there by mastering a few basic techniques that others can readily learn. Here, according to education experts and students themselves, are the secrets of straight-A students.

Set priorities. Top students brook no intrusions on study time. Once the books are open or the computer is booted up, phone calls go unanswered, TV shows unwatched, snacks ignored. Study is business; business comes before recreation.

Study anywhere — or everywhere. Claude Olney, an Arizona State University business professor assigned to tutor failing college athletes, recalls a cross-country runner who worked out every day. Olney persuaded him to use the time to memorize biology terms. Another student posted a vocabulary list by the medicine cabinet. He learned a new word every day while brushing his teeth.

Among the students we interviewed, study times were strictly a matter of personal preference. Some worked late at night when the house was quiet. Others awoke early. Still others studied as soon as they came home from school when the work was fresh in their minds. All agreed, however, on the need for consistency. “Whatever I was doing, I maintained a slot every day for studying,” says Ian McCray, a Middlebury College student from New Jersey.

Get organized. In high school, McCray ran track, played rugby and was in the band and orchestra. “I was so busy, I couldn’t waste time looking for a pencil or missing paper. I kept everything right where I could put my hands on it,” he says.

Paul Melendres maintains two folders — one for the day’s assignments, another for papers completed and graded. Traci Tsuchiguchi, a top student at Clovis West High School in Fresno, Calif., has another system. She immediately files the day’s papers in color-coded folders by subject so they’ll be available for review at exam time.

Even students who don’t have a private study area remain organized. A backpack or drawer keeps essential supplies together and cuts down on time-wasting searches.

Learn how to read. ”The best class I ever took,” says Christopher Campbell, who graduated from Moore (Okla.) High School last spring, “was speed-reading. I not only increased my words per minute but also learned to look at a book’s table of contents, graphs and pictures first. Then, when I began to read, I had a sense of the material, and I retained a lot more.”

In his book Getting Straight A’s, Gordon W. Green, Jr., says the secret of good reading is to be “an active reader — one who continually asks questions that lead to a full understanding of the author’s message.”

Schedule your time. When a teacher assigns a long paper, Domenica Roman draws up a timetable, dividing the project into small pieces so it isn’t so overwhelming.

“It’s like eating a steak,” she says. “You chew it one bite at a time.”

Melendres researches and outlines a report first, then tries to complete the writing in one long push over a weekend. “I like to get it down on paper early, so I have time to polish and review.”

Of course, even the best students procrastinate sometimes. But when that happens, they face up to it. “Sometimes it comes down to late nights,” admits Christi Anderson, an athlete, student-council member and top student at Lyman High School in Presho, S.D. “Still, if you want A’s, you make sure to hit the deadline.”

Take good notes – and use them. “Reading the textbook is important,” says Melendres, “but the teacher is going to test you on what he or she emphasized. That’s what you find in your notes.”

The top students also take notes while reading the text assignment. In fact, David Cieri of Holy Cross High School in Delran, N.J., uses “my homemade” system in which he draws a line down the center of a notebook, writes notes from the text on one side and those from the teacher’s lecture on the other. Then he is able to review both aspects of the assignment at once.

Just before the bell rings, most students close their books, put away papers, whisper to friends and get ready to rush out. Anderson uses those few minutes to write a two- or three-sentence summary of the lesson’s principal points, which she scans before the next day’s class.

4 Reasons Saving for College Doesn’t Make the Grade

College tuition in the United States can be expensive — very expensive! So it’s only natural that many parents set up a college account as soon as a child is born and make it their first priority when it comes to savings. According to two recent articles in Forbes, however, doing so may not be the wisest choice.

1. Saving for a rainy day comes first.

Before putting any money into a college fund or retirement account, everyone should have personal savings that can be easily accessed without penalty should the unexpected happen. Financial planners recommend maintaining savings of at least five to six months’ salary in case of emergency.

2. Retirement savings comes next.

You may not like the idea of your child taking out a loan for college, but they are available. Loans for retirement, on the other hand, are not. Experts agree that many people simply don’t plan adequately for retirement (do you have $1 million in your IRA?) and end up saving too little to allow them to retire when and how they’d like to.

3. Curbing your spending is crucial.

Even if you are saving for retirement through a 401K, an IRA, or both, it’s important to examine what you do with the rest of your earnings. If every dollar in your paycheck is already accounted for before it’s even deposited (bills, mortgage/rent, food, childcare, etc.), there’s not much left over for college savings. Before making regular contributions to a college fund, you’ll need to rein in your spending in other areas.

4. Financial aid formulas favor retirement savings.

Colleges determine which students are eligible for financial aid based on an incredibly complex formula that takes into account something called an “expected family contribution” or EFC. According to college finance professionals, the formula works in favor of families who contribute the maximum to 401K and IRA accounts before funding their children’s college savings accounts. So, ironically, the best way to ensure your children will receive financial aid from their college or university is to put as much savings into your retirement account as po

How to Get Better Nutrition for Less Money

Eating healthy doesn't mean you need to break the bank. Here are tips on how to make your healthy foods go far.

Buy in-season. Modern technology allows us to grow crops in climates and at times they naturally would not thrive. However, the availability, price, and even flavor are usually best when fruits and veggies are grown in season. Stick to seasonal eating to avoid paying insane prices on a pint of strawberries in winter.

Go to farmers’ markets. When you buy direct from producers, prices are significantly cheaper and you can be sure of freshness. Plus, you’re supporting people in your own community.

Plant your own garden. Grow your own tomatoes, beans, and potatoes at home. Radishes and rhubarb are among the easiest vegetables to grow. For more information on home gardening.

Plan well. Shop only for what you need (and not when you’re hungry – you’ll buy more) to prepare the meals you have in mind. Exception: Buy in bulk during sales, and prepare dishes you can freeze. You can also buy already frozen or canned items, which last longer and may be cheaper. Food should never go to waste, but check expiration dates before you eat to stay safe.

Cook smart. When fruits are getting too ripe, you can still use them for baking or making smoothies. Think of meal ideas that stretch pricy items: stews, casseroles, stir-fry.

3 Healthy Ways to Help Your Kids Excel in School

Mark Fenske, neuroscientist and co-author of The Winner’s Brain: 8 Strategies Great Minds Use to Achieve Success, explains that powerful brains come from healthy bodies. Follow these golden rules to help ensure that your kids succeed this school year—and beyond.

1. Add exercise to their routine.

Math homework? Check. Reading? Check. Frisbee tag? Um… According to recently published research, the parts of children’s brains that are associated with memory and cognitive function are larger in those kids who are more active. Additional studies have shown that children who participated in increased physical activity improved in math, reading, and spelling. In other words, if you want your kids to more easily be able to remember what they’re learning, to be more focused while they’re learning it, and to get better grades as a result, make sure to schedule in frequent exercise along with piano practice and Mandarin lessons.

2. Feed them healthy food.

Children’s brains are still developing. Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids and antioxidants are crucial to the health and maintenance of kids’ growing lobes, neurons, and synapses. A significant amount of fish, eggs, nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables in your kids’ diet will lead to well-nourished brains as well as bodies. Cutting down on sugar is key to helping them regulate their behavior, too. Limiting sweets prevents sugar rushes and low-blood-sugar crashes that can cause kids to become distracted and behave erratically.

3. Make sure they get a good night’s sleep.

While their bodies are asleep, children’s brains are hard at work going over the new information they’ve acquired that day and cementing it into memory. Kids who don’t get enough sleep or are frequently interrupted while sleeping have been shown to have difficulty retaining what they’ve learned in school. Helping your kids wind down in the evenings and go to bed at a reasonable hour will go far towards helping them be at their best throughout the school day.

Giving Dogs and Love to Kids With Cancer

Our hero: Allison Winn, 10

Where she lives: Denver, Colorado

How she helps: Gives dogs to kids with cancer

When Allison Winn was eight and her family adopted a dog named Coco, they had no idea how much the little bichon frise would change her life. “Coco helped me feel better,” says Allison, who was recuperating from 14 months of treatment for a brain tumor at the time. “She would cuddle with me when I didn’t want to play.” Allison loved Coco so much that she told her parents she wanted to help other sick kids find the same kind of comfort.

She started small, raising money by selling lemonade and homemade dog biscuits in front of her house. Her first customer was the mailman. By the end of that summer, she had raised nearly $1,000, enough to adopt, train, and spay or neuter two dogs and give them to children with cancer. Now, a little more than two years later, corporate groups and civic organizations gather to make dog treats at a Denver kitchen for Allison’s cause.

Her organization, the Stink Bug Project, named after a picture she drew commemorating the end of her chemotherapy, is run and managed in partnership with the Morgan Adams Foundation. Stink Bug helps families adopt pets from the Colorado Correctional Industries Prison Trained K9 Companion Program, where inmates teach commands to rescued dogs. To date, the program has raised $33,000 and facilitated the adoption of ten dogs, paying for the $450 adoption fee plus a starter kit of a dog bed and crate, food, toys, a leash, and a collar, which gets embroidered with the pet’s name and phone number. “We ask the kids their favorite color,” Allison says, so she can coordinate ribbons for the dogs.

With the leftover funds, Allison’s mother, Dianna Litvak, who helps run Stink Bug, hopes to extend the pet-adoption program statewide and continue donating some of the proceeds to help fund pediatric cancer research.

Her daughter is just as ambitious. “I wanted to do a million adoptions, but my mom made me lower it,” says Allison. Still, she’d eventually like to get dogs to sick kids in other states.

“Allison has figured out how to help—in a way that no one else has,” Litvak says proudly. “We involve her younger sister, Emily, her friends, the adopting families, and the women at the prison. It took the love of a little girl to wrap all that together into one amazing package.”

Oven-roasted Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Impress your dinner guests with this lovely dish

Ingredients (serves 6)
245g ricotta cheese
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Pinch of dried oregano
6 boneless chicken breast halves, with skin
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Grease a large baking dish.
2. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, walnuts, parmesan, breadcrumbs and oregano.
3. Loosen the skin on the chicken breasts to form a pocket in each, then stuff with the mixture. Arrange stuffed breasts in a single layer in prepared dish. Brush tops with oil.
4. Bake for 45 mins, or until they are cooked.

Jambalaya

The spicy tomato flavour and aroma of this one-pot rice dish make it really appealing. Tender chunks of fish, juicy prawns and plenty of vegetables all combine to make a well-balanced, complete meal.

Ingredients

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 head of celery, finely diced and leaves reserved for garnish
1 red capsicum, deseeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
11/4 cups (250 g) long-grain rice
2 × 400 g cans chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
300 g skinned firm white fish fillet, cut into four pieces
8 peeled raw prawns
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 lemon wedges

Directions:

1. Put the oil in a large, deep frying pan and heat gently. Add the onion, garlic, celery, red capsicum, chilli and cumin. Cook, stirring often, for 10–12 minutes until softened. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

2. Drain the tomatoes in a sieve over a heatproof measuring jug or bowl, then set aside. Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Add the tomatoes to the rice, sprinkle the thyme over the top, stir well and reduce the heat a little.

3. Make up the tomato juice to 1 litre with boiling water, pour into the pan and stir well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

4. Season the rice to taste, then place the pieces of fish on top. Continue cooking, partly covered as before, for 5 minutes. Stir the rice carefully and turn the fish over, then add the prawns. Partly cover the pan again and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the prawns have turned pink, the fish pieces are cooked, and the rice is tender. The dish should be moist, not dry.

5. Remove from the heat, cover tightly and leave for 5 minutes. Scatter the celery leaves and parsley over the top and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over.

Chocolate Cakes With Liquid Centers

Serve these easy-to-make molten chocolate cakes to impress your Valentine

Nothing says 'I love you' like this rich chocolate delight.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
4 squares bittersweet chocolate (1 ounce each)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons all purpose flour

How to make it

1. Preheat oven to 450°F; butter and flour four 4-ounce ramekins.

2. In top half of double boiler set over simmering water, heat butter and chocolate until chocolate is almost melted.

3. Beat eggs, yolks and sugar until light colored and thick.

4. Mix chocolate and butter, and slowly pour into egg mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in flour until just combined.

5. Pour batter into molds and bake for 6 to 7 minutes. Cake centers will be quite soft. Invert molds on plates. Let sit 15 seconds. Unmold. Serve immediately with whipped cream.

How to Treat Depression With Food

Treatment for depression can be a complicated process involving both therapy and medication. But one often-overlooked factor is nutrition -- you are what you eat, and you need to eat food that will help you be happy. Here are seven tips to help you eat to curb depression.



1. Make sure every meal contains some complex carbohydrate-rich foods.








2. Cut back on sugar-containing foods.
Replace refined sweets with nutrient-packed foods, such as fresh fruit, crunchy vegetables, whole grain bagels, or low-fat yogurt.



3. Cut back on caffeine from coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, colas, and medications.
Drink more water instead.

4. Increase dietary intake of vitamin B6.
Aim for several servings daily of chicken, legumes, fish, bananas, avocados, and dark green leafy vegetables. Also, include at least two folic acid-rich foods in the diet, such as spinach, broccoli, orange juice, or chard.


5. Make changes gradually.
Select two or three small changes and practice these until they are comfortable. This will assure long-term success in sticking with your plan and will allow your brain chemistry time to adjust to the new eating style, without throwing your brain's appetite- control chemicals into a tailspin.





6. Take a moderate-dose multiple vitamin and mineral supplement to fill in any nutritional gaps.






7. Remember that what you eat is only part of the blues battle.
Regular exercise, effective coping skills, a strong social support system, and limiting or avoiding alcohol, cigarettes, and medications that compound an emotional problem also are important considerations.

Depression also can be a symptom of other problems, so always consult a physician if emotional problems persist or interfere with your quality of life and health. In the meantime, keep in mind that what you choose to sooth your hunger, also will be fueling your mood.

The Fountain of Youth

What is the fountain of youth? Exactly what it suggests. Being just 2 percent underhydrated can make you act and feel older. For a sharp mind, smooth skin, better health, and fluid movement, you need water. But forget about the old eight-times-eight rule (eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily). Healthy people, it turns out, get all the water they need from what they eat and drink (that includes tea and coffee but not alcoholic beverages). Thirst, though, should be your guide. If you’ve worked up a sweat exercising, are in a hot climate, or are taking medications, you may need to drink more than usual.

How to Save Your Favorite Shirt

If you are out to dinner at a restaurant, or even if grease splatters on you while you are cooking, use artificial sweetener immediately to blot the stain. The fine powder will absorb the oil. You may have to keep blotting and using more sweetener, but it really works! And artificial sweetener is always handy at any eatery.

Use Recycled Cooking Water to Feed Your Garden

Sources
Baking Soda, Banana Peels, Baby Oil and Beyond

Boiled foods release nutrients of one kind or another, so why pour their cooking water down the drain? Let the water cool, and then use it to give a garden plant or two a healthful drink. But take note: When you cook any of the following, do not add salt to the water because salt is harmful to plants.

Eggs. Hardboiled eggs leave calcium in the cooking water, so use the liquid to water calcium-loving solanaceous garden plants: tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers, chayote squash, tomatillos.

Spinach. Plants need iron, too — and spinach water gives them not only iron but also a decent dose of potassium.

Pasta. Starchy water will spur the release of plant nutrients in the soil, meaning starch may be better for plants than for you.

Potatoes. Ditto.

How to Cope with Boomerang Kids

With 85 percent of the college class of 2011 moving back home, you might think of this group as Generation B, for Boomerang. We asked Carl Pickhardt, a psychologist and the author of Boomerang Kids, for three wise words on how to see kids off, take them back, and move them out.

1. TEACH
Before your kids take off for college, teach them the three B’s: That’s banking, budgeting, and bill paying. “Parents get preoccupied by school performance, and they don’t think about their preparation responsibility,” said Pickhardt.

2. CLARIFY
If they do return home, consider what their presence will now mean for the household. How will they contribute? Will you support them financially? You may need to make a written agreement that both of you will sign. (See below for a link to our Boomerang Contract.)

3. REMEMBER
When kids leave high school or even college, they are not adults. Between 18 and 23, they’re entering the last and most difficult stage of adolescence: trial independence. Sometimes they need to come home and regroup.

In other words, taking the word failure out of the equation when they land on your doorstep will probably go far in getting them on their feet.

Find Love Online Sans the Scams

With over 1,500 sites devoted to dating, the Internet is ripe for romance — and rip-offs. How do you avoid opening your heart — and your wallet — to a prince (or princess) too charming to be true? One way: Stay local and use search engines to check out suitors. “Staying local drastically reduces your odds of being scammed, since most scammers target victims outside their areas to avoid being caught or prosecuted,” notes Canadian journalist Risha Gotlieb.

Best Medicine: The Power of Forgiving

Healing emotional wounds doesn't just make you feel better. New research shows there are also health benefits

The Best Way to Heal a Heart

Elizabeth Nassau was stunned. She had called a good friend to wish her a happy birthday, when suddenly she found herself under attack. “Out of the blue, she launched into a long list of everything that bothered her about me, and dumped me over the phone,” says the 48-year-old writer from Philadelphia.

Nassau blames jealousy: “My career was just starting to get off the ground. My book was about to be published, and I’d won an award for my essays. I felt my friend didn’t like it that I wasn’t so needy anymore.”

She spent two years fuming. “Every time I saw her, my blood boiled, my heart pounded and I’d get so tense that I literally felt sick.”

Who hasn’t felt the sting of betrayal, unfair treatment or something more abusive? Many of us cling to the resulting rage and pain, but others choose not to. The latest research shows that learning to forgive those who hurt us can have profound benefits. It’s become a hot new way to manage anger, cut stress and, maybe most important, improve health.

At an Atlanta conference last fall, some 40 researchers met to review what they’re finding in probing the healing power of making peace. One study showed that giving up grudges can reduce chronic back pain. Another found that forgiveness limited relapses among women battling substance-abuse problems. One intriguing project discussed at the event — run by the nonprofit Campaign for Forgiveness Research — used MRI scans to explore how just thinking about empathy and reconciliation sparks activity in the brain’s left middle temporal gyrus, suggesting we all have a mental forgiveness center set to be tapped.

So, on top of having profound emotional benefits, purging our anger may also help heal some of what ails us physically. But how do we do it? And what does it mean to forgive?

Elizabeth Nassau’s revelation came at a chance meeting with her estranged friend: “Instead of turning away, I told her how profoundly she had hurt me. She listened, but didn’t apologize. Then I surprised myself. I apologized for harboring anger and hatred against her for so long. As I spoke, I realized I’d forgiven her.”

The effect was potent. “My anger melted away,” she says. Nassau hasn’t renewed the friendship, but now when she sees her ex-pal, “I can breathe calmly and my heart isn’t palpitating.”

Nassau’s experience fits with the findings of Fred Luskin, PhD, director of Stanford University’s Forgiveness Project and author of Forgive for Good. Luskin — quick to emphasize that forgiving doesn’t mean condoning the offense — has found that letting go of a grudge can slash one’s stress level by up to 50 percent. Volunteers in his studies also have shown improvements in energy, mood, sleep quality and overall physical vitality. “Carrying around a load of bitterness and anger at how unfairly you were treated is very toxic,” says Luskin.

Cortisol

That’s because we’re wired to treat any tension-inducing event, be it a fire alarm or reliving a simmering feud, as a crisis. At these times, our bodies release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, prompting our hearts to accelerate, our breath to quicken and our minds to race. An accompanying sugar release revs up muscles, and clotting factors surge in the blood. It’s all harmless if the scare is brief (like a near mishap on the highway). But anger and resentment are like accidents that don’t end, turning hormones meant to save us into toxins.

Cortisol’s depressive effect on the immune system has been linked to serious disorders. Bruce McEwen, PhD, director of the neuroendocrinology lab at Rockefeller University in New York City, says cortisol wears down the brain, leading to cell atrophy and memory loss. It also raises blood pressure and blood sugar, hardening arteries and leading to heart disease.

Enter forgiveness, which seems to stop these hormones from flowing. For a study presented to the American Psychosomatic Society last March, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers recruited 36 male veterans who had coronary artery disease and were also burdened by painful issues, some war-related, some tied to marital problems, work conflicts or childhood traumas. Half the men received forgiveness training; the rest didn’t. Those who got the training showed greater blood flow to the heart.

Adult Acne: Why It Happens and What You Can Do About It

Battling adult acne? You're not alone! 30 percent of women age 40-60 suffer from acne.Try these tips for restoring your skin to its blemish-free days

Many of us associate pimples and breakouts with our teenage years. Unfortunately, some people experience acne during their midlife years. If this is happening to you, know that you are not alone. Some estimates say 30 percent of women age 40-60 suffer from acne.

Experts believe that hormones are to blame for adult acne. Between pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause, hormones may get imbalanced, resulting in breakouts. Here are some tips to restore your skin to its blemish-free days.

Gentle cleaners
Most dermatologists recommend using a gentle cleanser such as Cetaphil.

Lotions or creams
Many over-the-counter products can be used to treat adult acne, but it may take a few tries to figure out which one works best for you. Benzoyl peroxide is commonly used to kill bacteria that can cause acne. If you tend to have dark marks from acne, you may need to use products that contain salicylic and glycolic acids.

Here are 3 homemade acne treatments that help to naturally clear up blemishes:

1. Aspirin
Even those of us who are well past adolescence can get the occasional pimple. Put the kibosh on those annoying blemishes by crushing one aspirin and moistening it with a bit of water. Apply the paste to the pimple, and let it sit for a couple of minutes before washing off with soap and water. It will reduce the redness and soothe the sting. If the pimple persists, repeat the procedure as needed until it’s gone.

2. Olive Oil
Okay, the notion of applying oil to your face to treat acne does sound a bit wacky. Still, many folks swear this works: Make a paste by mixing 4 tablespoons salt with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Pour the mixture onto your hands and fingers and work it around your face. Leave it on for a minute or two, then rinse it off with warm, soapy water. Apply daily for one week, then cut back to two or three times weekly. You should see a noticeable improvement in your condition. (The principle is that the salt cleanses the pores by exfoliation, while the olive oil restores the skin’s natural moisture.)

3. Toothpaste
Your teenager is bemoaning a prominent pimple, and the day before the dance too! Tonight, have her or him dab a bit of non-gel, nonwhitening toothpaste on the offending spot, and it should be dried up by morning. The toothpaste dehydrates the pimple and absorbs the oil. This remedy works best on pimples that have come to a head. Caution: This remedy may be irritating to sensitive skin.

See a Doctor
If you cannot manage your acne using OTC products, you may need to schedule an appointment with your dermatologist. Your doctor can prescribe higher strength ingredients that cannot be found OTC.

What’s Better for Your Brain: Weights or Cardio?

Find out how your brain can benefit from different types of workouts

Exercise is good for the body (you knew this) and mind (you probably already knew this). But what kind of workout is best to give your brain a healthy boost at the gym? For optimal overall health, you want a mix of both, but aerobic (cardio) exercise is the clear winner when it comes to stopping brain drain.

One fascinating study randomly assigned a group of 59 men and women to either an aerobics-focused program or a stretching and strength-training program. After 6 months, sophisticated brain scans using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showed that the aerobically fit adults had significantly more activity in the frontal cortex of the brain, the region associated with executive function (planning and long-term memory storage), as well as the parietal cortex, the seat of spatial orientation — two areas often associated with age-related cognitive decline.

While cardio does increase blood flow to the brain, that’s not the whole reason for aerobics’ impressive effects.

Instead, the researchers believe that many of the positive changes could be attributed to an increase in BDNF, the “Miracle-Gro” brain hormone. The brain that enjoys cardiovascular training, the researchers say, is “more efficient, plastic, and adaptive, which translates into better learning and performance.” Not too shabby for a daily walk around town.

12 Ideas for Healthier, Easier Workouts

Here are the easy ways to motivate yourself and get the most of your workout

If you are one of the minority of people who regularly goes to a gym for exercise, then congratulations! It means you have the right priorities and terrific discipline. But it's fair to say that at times, even for committed exercisers, motivation often flags, and there are days when it requires a Herculean effort just to put on our workout clothes and walk through the gym doors.

If you're lucky, the sights and sounds of exercise are all you need to motivate yourself to get moving. At other times, you still may not have the slightest urge to get started. For those days, here are some ways to get the most out of your workout.

1. Avoid the mirrors. Many fitness locations line exercise rooms with mirrors to allow you to watch your form as you work out. Yet a study of 58 women found that those who exercised in front of a mirror felt less calm and more fatigued after 30 minutes of working out than those who exercised without staring at their reflection. The national exercise chain, Curves, deliberately designs its small gyms without mirrors so women can concentrate on each other and the workout rather than on how they look. Other gyms are beginning to offer “reflection-free” zones. If yours doesn't, mention the idea--and the study--to the gym manager.

2. Try using aromatherapy oils known to enhance energy, such as rosemary. Mix them with water and store them in a squirt bottle in your gym bag. Give your gym clothing a few squirts before leaving the dressing room so you can smell the oil as you work out. If you're in the midst of a more meditative, slowerpaced workout, such as Pilates or yoga, try lavender oil instead of rosemary.

3. Create your own personal gym mix tapes, CDs or digital recordings, and listen to them as you work out. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse found that people who listen to up-tempo music got significantly more out of their stationary bike workouts. They pedaled faster, produced more power, and their hearts beat faster than when they listened to slow-tempo music or sounds with no tempo. Overall, they worked between 5 and 15 percent harder while listening to the energizing beat. Although the type of music you choose is up to you, pick something with a fast beat that makes you want to break out in dance. You can custom-design your own exercise music to burn to a CD or download to an MP3 player at Internet sites such as www.mywalkingmusic.com or www.workoutmusic.com.

4. Think of someone who irritates you. Then step on the treadmill, stair stepper, stationary bike, or elliptical machine and sweat out your aggression as you run, climb, or cycle. You might even imagine that you are running an imaginary race against this person. You'll get in a better workout--and blast away anger and stress at the same time.

5. Drink a bottle of water or juice on your way to the gym. If you show up for your workout already dehydrated, you'll feel overly fatigued during your session, says Craig Horswill, Ph.D., principal scientist for the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Barrington, Illinois. “Nearly half of all exercisers are starting their workouts at a real disadvantage--by arriving at the gym already dehydrated,” he says. “When you're dehydrated, you can't work as hard, you don't feel as good, and your mental function is going to be compromised. Consequently, you're not going to get as much out of your workout.”

6. Think you can and you will. So simple, yet so often ignored, positive thinking can help you power your way through a workout. In a study of 41 adults ages 55 to 92, exercisers who thought positively were more likely to stay active than those whose minds often uttered those two evil words: “I can't.” Whenever you find yourself making excuses, mentally put those self-defeating thoughts in a locked cabinet in your brain and replace them with positive messages such as, “I feel great” or “Bring it on.”

7. Turn off the tube when exercising. It's tempting to try to lose yourself in television programming as you slog away on the treadmill or stationary bike. Yet a 1996 study found women worked out about 5 percent harder when they weren't watching TV than when they were. Although your favorite TV show may take your mind off your workout, it also causes you to lose touch with your effort level. You unconsciously slow down or use poor form as you get caught up in what you are watching. If television sets line the workout area, get on the equipment closest to the monitor tuned to C-Span. Sure you'll glance up at the monitor from time to time, but unless you're a complete political junkie, you probably won't get sucked in.

8. Work out with a friend. If you're feeling stale and are thinking of skipping your gym workouts, ask a friend to meet you for a gym date. As you walk or run on the treadmill, you can share stories of your day. Thirty minutes will go by before you know it. You can also encourage each other to work a bit harder. Your friend can also help you find the courage to approach unfamiliar gym equipment, as it's easier to laugh off your foibles when you have a trusted companion nearby.

9. Set a short-term workout goal. We all know that goals help motivate you to work harder, and that the best exercise programs include measurable goals to achieve weeks or months down the road. Sometimes, though, when your motivation is drooping, a goal for what to achieve over the next 30 minutes is really what you need. So pick something achievable: Maintain a sweat for 20 minutes, or cover two miles on the treadmill, or give just your arms a really good strength workout. A target like that gives you focus to get through on even the tough days.

10. Change your routine every three to four weeks. This will keep your body guessing - improving your result - and fuel your motivation. In the weights room, alternate exercises and modify the way you lift weights. If you usually do two sets of 15 reps, complete one set of 15, then increase the weight for another set of 8 reps. On cardio equipment, switch from the treadmill to the stair stepper etc. Mix up your exercise classes as well, switching around from Pilates to aerobic dance to yoga to kickboxing.

11. Slow down. In one American study, participants who lifted slowly - taking at least 14 seconds to complete one repetition - gained more strength than participants who lifted at a rate of 7 seconds per rep. Slower lifting may help increase strength because it prevents you from using momentum or improper techniques.

12. Invent a competition with the person on the next treadmill. If you're on the treadmill and you're bored, glance at the display on someone else's nearby treadmill. If you're walkig at 3.5 miles per hour and he or she is chugging away at 4mph, see if you can increase your speed and catch up, as if it were a race. The other person won't even know you're racing.

Steamed Green Tea Cake with Black Sesame Seeds

A healthy and and easy-to-make dessert

Ingredients (Serving 6)

1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons powdered green tea
6 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 egg whites
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds, garnish

Directions (Cook time: 20 Min)

1. Set a bamboo steamer large enough to contain a 9x9 inch pan over simmering water. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and green tea powder. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, water and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until mixture has tripled in volume. Fold in the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.

3. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold whites into the egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into the cake pan.

4. Place cake pan in steamer. Stretch a kitchen towel over the cake pan without touching the surface, then cover with steamer lid. Steam cake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and cut into pieces before serving.

Malay Spicy Tomato Chicken ( Ayam Masak Merah)

A spicy and sweet dish popular in Malaysia and Indonesia


Ingredients Serves: 4

1 (1 1/2 kg) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 pinch salt, to taste
1/4 cup dried red chillies
3 fresh red chilli, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red onion, diced
1 (3cm thick) slice fresh ginger root
2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole star anise pods
5 whole cloves
5 cardamom seeds
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste
1/2 cup (125ml) water

Preparation method

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 35 mins
1. Rub the chicken with turmeric powder and salt. Set aside.

2. Soak the dried red chilli in hot water until softened. Blend the softened dried chilli, fresh red chilli, garlic, onion and ginger in a blender to a paste.

3. Heat the oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in the hot oil until golden on all sides. Remove the chicken from the fry pan and set aside.

4. Remove excess oil from the fry pan leaving about 1 tablespoon. Cook and stir the chilli paste with the cinnamon, star anise, cloves and cardamom seeds until fragrant. Return the chicken to the fry pan.

5. Stir in the water adding more if needed. Toss in the tomatoes and stir in the tomato sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear; about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

15 Ways to Keep the Peace and Have Fun at Work

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your colleagues. Yet you need them in more ways than one. Here are fresh ways to make work a happier place to be.

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your colleagues. Yet you need them in more ways than one. First, you need their goodwill and cooperation in order to perform your own job well. Second, studies find that disagreements with colleagues and bad working relationships deflate morale and impair performance even more than rumours of redundancies. And third, if you're like most people, you spend more walking hours at work than anywhere else. Reaching out to your colleagues - or extending an olive branch, if need be - can make your work environment a much nicer place in which to spend many hours a day. You don't have to be friends with your colleagues, but you do need to be friendly. Read on for fresh ways to make work a happier place to be.

Say a cheery 'Hello!' in the morning. Do you plod into the office, eyes down, shoulders slumped, and immediately start work? If so, you're likely to find that colleagues ignore you (the best) or avoid you (the worst). Get into the habit of smiling and greeting everyone as you arrive in the morning or begin your shift. It's amazing how fast this little coutesy can thaw chilly workplace relations.

Learn the art of small talk. Ask your colleagues about their interests - their favourite music, films, books, hobbies. Showing a genuine interest in them will make them feel comfortable around you.

Accept good-natured teasing. Other workers sometimes play jokes and tease to test what kind of person you are. So if they poke fun at your new shoes or mischievously put a funny screensaver on your computer, don't get angry. Let them know that you enjoy a good joke - even if it's sometimes on you. Of course, if the teasing is personal (about your weight or ethnicity, for example), and makes if difficult for you to do your job or makes you feel uncomfortable because of its sexual implications, you may need to take up the matter with your supervisor.

Ask what they think. People love to be asked their opinion, so go out of your way to ask, 'What do you think is missing from this report?' or 'How do you think I should handle this situation with X?' Then give the advice-giver a sincere thank you, even if the ideas are less than helpful.

Avoid gossip. You don't want anyone talking about you behind your back, so return the favour. When a colleague sidles up to you bearing a juicy titbit of gossip about an office romance or someone's impending dismissal, respond with, 'Really?', then change the subject or get back to work. If you don't respond, the gossiper will move on - and you'll retain the trust and respect of your colleagues.

When dealing with a difficult colleague, pretend your children are watching. This simple visualisation technique will help you to keep a cool head. After all, you've taught your children to have good manner. With them 'watching', it will be difficult to stoop to the level of your infuriating colleague.

Ladle out the compliments. Did Tom fix the office photocopier - again? Has Ann stopped smoking? By all means, compliment your colleagues on their achievements - personal or professional. Too often, we focus on what people are doing wrong.

Spread your good cheer. You don't have to be a Pollyanna, but try to perform one kindly act a week, choosing a different colleague each time. For example, one week you might bring in cakes for no reason. Another week, it might be a card for a colleague - maybe a thank-you note for helping you out the week before, or a light, humorous card for a colleague who seems to be a bit down.

Return calls and emails promptly. To win friends at work, a good place to start is good office etiquette. There's nothing more frustating to busy people than to have their emails and phone messages ignored. Your silence doesn't just make their job harder to do; it also conveys an unpleasant message to them: you're unimportant to me.

Give credit where credit is due. Don't withhold credit from deserving colleagues. You'll alienate them, and they won't be there for you when you need them (or when they all go out for lunch). Embrace the attitude that we all win together, and let others know when someone has done something above and beyond the call of duty on a project. Also, if someone incorrectly gives you credit and praise, acknowledge your colleague who does deserve the accolades. It will be remembered.

Here's one for the boss: always work at least as hard as anyone working with or for you. Make it clear that you would never ask anyone to do a level of work you wouldn't be willing to take on yourself.

Always be on time to show you respect other people's time.

Express your good ideas in a way that makes it clear that they are not the only good ideas, and that others may have equally good insights to add.

Talk about your life outside the office when it's appropriate. This will remind the people you work with that you're a person first, not just an employee or employer.

Assume the positive about what you don't know. Isn't it funny how a team of workers often think they're working harder than another team elsewhere in the building? Or that the bosses are clueless? Don't subscribe to that kind of toxic thinking, even if it's rampant. It's a negative attitude that makes work become miserable. Instead, assume that everyone else is working hard and doing their best, even if you don't know what their work is. You should believe both in the work you're doing and the organisation you're doing it for. If you can't, perhaps it's time to move on.

13 Tips to Increase Your Family’s Happiness and Health

Tolstoy was right—happy families are all alike. At least they share certain basic characteristics. Here are a few of the foundations experts say are key to a loving, cheerful home

1. Create cuddle time. You can’t overdose on hugs. It’s important for families to spend time snuggling in bed together, reading, or talking or playing games. This kind of positive touch helps kids feel loved and secure, plus it’s fun for parents!

2. Sing together, stay together. The Von Trapp family had it right—singing together is a terrific way to bond as a family. Make up your own words to your favorite tunes; dance around the living room with your children; and use music to motivate room cleaning.

3. Make room for fun. While it’s good to encourage your children’s schoolwork and extracurricular activities, too much emphasis on them can create tension and anxiety. Make time for activities that have no purpose other than to allow family members to enjoy spending time together. Play games, plot surprise parties, take long walks, explore a cave, plant a garden, or cook.

4. Exercise together. Take a run or a bike ride to a local park with your child. At the park, you can take time to relax while your child plays in the sandbox or on the seesaw. This kind of outing allows parents to model healthy behavior, get exercise, and spend time with their kids.

5. Create healthy habits. Junk food high in salt and sugar may taste appealing, but it will play havoc with your family’s health and moods. Create healthy snacking habits by leaving out bowls of fruit, cut-up vegetables, nuts, or dried fruit.

6. Cook together. This is another way to get kids interested in healthy foods. While you’re whipping up dinner with your children you are encouraging healthy eating habits as well as teaching cooking, measurement, teamwork, and improvisational skills. Also, kids who help makes meals are more likely to eat them.

7. Reward good behavior. It’s important to reinforce your child’s good behavior. But there’s no need to be extravagant. A trip to the humane shelter, a visit to the zoo, a movie and popcorn, or a slightly later bedtime can be good motivators.

8. Read and write together. Make time every day for reading. Read aloud to the kids, or have the whole family spend time with their own books, or listen to an audiobook. Cuddling up on the couch can make it even cozier. It’s also important for children to spend some time writing each day.

9. Go one-on-one. Parents with more than one child should try to spend a little time interacting just with one child each day, even if it’s just for ten minutes. That special time with a parent helps the child feel special and to bond with you.

10. Have routines. Kids thrive when they know what to expect. So bedtime routines that involve bath, stories, and songs before sleep can minimize nighttime misbehavior. A morning routine can also help you get out the door faster with little fuss.

11. Appreciate each other. Find little ways to show how much you value each other. One idea is to do a little happy dance every time a child returns from school or a parent from work.

12. Remember sorry isn’t enough. When one of your children hurts the feelings of a sibling, it’s not enough to apologize. That child must also find a way to help heal the hurt she has caused, by helping with a chore or sharing a toy.

13. Prioritize your marriage. The most important thing you can do for your child is to love your spouse and to demonstrate that love. This models a good relationship for your child and helps to keep your marriage intact.

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Coffee Cake

A delicious coffee cake for your day

Yield: 12 servings

What You Need

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup white sugar

What to Do

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Lightly grease one 10 inch bundt pan.

2. Cream 1 1/2 cups white sugar together with eggs until well blended. Add sour cream and butter or margarine and beat well. Add flour, baking soda, and baking powder and mix well. Stir in vanilla and the chopped nuts.

3. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of white sugar with the cinnamon.

4. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Cover with remaining cake batter.

5. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 8 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 40 minutes.

French Omelet

This cheesy omelet is so hearty and rich-tasting that mom will never guess it's low in fat

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 10 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup egg substitute

1/4 cup fat-free milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup cubed fully cooked lean ham

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped green pepper

1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

How to make it 20 minutes

1. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, egg substitute, milk, salt and pepper. Coat a 10-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add egg mixture. As eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath.

2. When eggs are set, sprinkle ham, onion, green pepper and cheese over one side; fold omelet over filling. Cover and let stand for 1 minute or until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information(per serving)

Calories: 180 | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 230mg | Sodium: 661mg | Protein: 20g | Fiber: trace

Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 fat

Vitamin Value

About half of us regularly take at least one vitamin, herbal or nutritional supplement – whether for sore joints, colds and flu, bone health, heart worries or general stress. But it pays to consider what you really need

THE LOWDOWN

Ask most nutritionists and they’re likely to put good health down to well-balanced eating.

“Food contains both macronutrients and micronutrients,” says Charlotte Lin, a dietitian at the National University Hospital (NUH) of Singapore. “By taking only vitamins, which are a sub component of micronutrients, your body is missing out on carbohydrates, fats and protein, which are essential for bodily function.”

Dr Lee Chee Peng, president of the Malaysian Society of Complementary Medicine, says people who eat three balanced meals are unlikely to require multivitamin supplements. The exceptions are individuals who exercise more than five days a week or patients under treatment or recovering from a disease. These individuals will be prescribed specific vitamins, he explains, but most people fare just fine.

So, what’s behind our growing love affair with multivitamins? In 2002, Harvard Medical School recommended that everybody, regardless of age or health status, take a daily dietary supplement. The advice is still considered controversial, but experts say that people across Asia generally view multivitamins as “healthy”, and as a form of nutritional insurance against a less than perfect diet.

Says Mandy Sea, principal nutritionist of the Centre for Nutritional Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, “Generally a supplement containing 100 percent of the daily value of most vitamins and essential minerals is adequate.”

Supplements on the market today include those that use natural herbs or synthetic ingredients. Experts point out that when choosing between multivitamins, those containing natural herbs may not necessarily be better than those with synthetic ingredients. The body recognises the molecular weight and structure of each vitamin and mineral for their functions regardless of whether the vitamins come from synthetic or natural sources, explains Dr Lee.

NUH dietitian Lin adds that the chemical makeup of the herbs also varies depending on where it’s grown and how it’s been processed.

HOW TO CHOOSE?

If you decide to take a multivitamin, how do you choose from the dozens on the market?

Keep it simple. Look for one that provides close to the recommended daily intake (RDI) – at least 75 percent – of the vitamins and minerals you need. But try to avoid products that contain large doses of vitamin or mineral supplementation. High dosages of certain vitamins or minerals may interfere with the absorption of other important nutrients, explains Sea.

“Excessive amounts of zinc and vitamin E may interfere with iron absorption; excessive calcium supplementation may decrease iron absorption, leading to iron deficiency anaemia.” So check the label for the precise contributions to your RDI.

LET’S GET SPECIFIC

Some nutritionists feel that formulas designed to prevent specific conditions may be a better choice than a general pill that tries to cover all bases. Lin suggests that if you are concerned about bone health and osteoporosis, for instance, you are far better off selecting a vitamin D and calcium supplement, rather than a general multivitamin: “The dosage of these specific nutrients may not be sufficient in a general pill,” says Lin.

Other specific formulas of value are preconception supplements with a good amount of folic acid, and omega-3 fatty acid fish oil supplements. Research has shown that folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy helps to significantly reduce the incidence of neural tube defects, says Lin. That’s when it pays to be discerning.

Supplements aimed at helping with stress, energy and metabolism commonly contain vitamin B.

“B-group deficiencies are not common in Singapore,” notes Lin. Vegans are susceptible to B12 deficiencies; the elderly and athletes are more likely to have B-group deficiencies due to decreased gut absorption and increased needs for energy production respectively, explains Lin.

Lin also cautions against wishful thinking, particularly where vague lifestyle ailments are the problem: “Stress needs to be managed through lifestyle changes and cannot be modified through dietary means.”

WHAT ARE THE GOOD OILS?

It’s hard not to be impressed by the omega-3 benefits fish oil boasts. Studies suggest fish oil reduces heart problems and may help with joint health, depression and weight loss. What’s less well known is the fact that the fats in fish oil are unstable – they are quick to oxidise. Oxidation begins during extraction and processing, and continues when the product is sitting on supermarket and pantry shelves.

“Although no studies to date have conclusively proved that oxidised fish oils cause atherosclerosis [hardened arteries], it is known that oxidised lipids can contribute to the kind of damage seen in atherosclerosis,” says Dr Karen Silvers, a senior research fellow at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Otago in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Her advice? “Eat fresh fish or other foods naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Buy fish oil capsules with the longest ‘best before’ date possible and never consume fish oil beyond or even near that date.” It may be worth buying smaller bottles (250ml) or a 60-capsule pack so the oil is used in a short time.

Fish liver oils may be easy to confuse with pure fish oils, but they are not the same thing. Fish liver oils – such as cod liver oil and halibut liver oil – contain vitamin A that can be toxic at high doses. Fish liver oils taken in the doses recommended for pure fish oil may exceed the RDI of vitamin A.

EXPERT TIP: The very long chain of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils have different functions, says Silvers. This may influence the type of omega-3 rich supplement you choose to use. “EPA is more anti-inflammatory, whereas DHA has been shown to beimportant for healthy heart function.”

ABSORPTION

Even though vitamins and minerals in supplements are synthesised to the exact chemical composition of naturally occurring vitamins, they still don’t seem to work as well. The exception is folate. The synthetic form – folic acid – that you find in supplements is more stable than naturally occurring folate from food sources, says Sea, as naturally occurring folate can be easily destroyed during food preparation and processing.

If you’re considering a formula with iron – often a need for premenopausal women – look for it in the form of ferrous sulphate that is easily absorbed. Taking it with a piece of fruit – a source of vitamin C – will boost absorption. But get a blood test to check iron levels before racing ahead. Taking too much iron, especially when you don’t have a deficiency may lead to diarrhoea, constipation or abdominal discomfort, says Lee.

WHEN TO TAKE IT

When you consider the vitamins and minerals in a good, balanced diet, some nutrients will always cancel out others. The important thing is to understand when to take the supplements so that the nutrients can be better absorbed. “Calcium absorption is enhanced if the supplements are taken after a meal,” says Lin. “Iron supplements should be taken on an empty stomach.”

TOO MUCH HARM

High-dose antioxidant supplements may not be as effective against disease prevention as once hoped. Vitamin E is one of the most widely used supplements, but research suggests too much may cause harm. Vitamin A and beta carotene is another group of vitamins that has also received its share of scrutiny for increasing cancer risk in some groups. Recently, folic acid was added to the list of supplements we should “handle with care”. Studies have linked high intakes to colon polyps and researchers have speculated it may lead to an increase in colorectal cancers.

If you’re planning pregnancy, or are pregnant, aim for 600mcg a day; everyone else should try for 400mcg daily, the amount in a standard multivitamin.

The same applies to vitamin E. Higher doses may help prevent heart disease, but the amount in a standard multivitamin is enough to have health benefits.

Healthy Eating Begins at the Supermarket

Find out how you can have a well-stocked pantry for the healthy eating. We show you how to pick wholesome choices at the supermarket

Consumers commonly hit the grocery store at least twice a week. Why, then, does it feel like we never have anything to eat at home? Follow the advice below to make sure you not only have a well-stocked pantry for healthful eating, but are buying the right products at the right time in the right way.

You’ll notice that many of the tips below have you looking at a food product’s nutrition label and ingredients list for information. If you haven’t become expert at this, time to study up.

1. Rule number one: Buy fresh food! There is no simpler, no easier, no plainer measure of the healthiness of your food than whether it comes in boxes and cans or is fresh from the farm or the fields. If more than half your groceries are prepared foods, then you need to evolve your cooking and eating habits back to the healthy side by picking up more fresh vegetables, fruits, seafood, juices, and dairy.

2. Shop the perimeter of the store. That’s where all the fresh foods are. The less you find yourself in the central aisles of the grocery store, the healthier your shopping trip will be. Make it a habit — work the perimeter of the store for the bulk of your groceries, then dip into the aisles for staples that you know you need.

3. Think of the departments (dairy, produce, meat, and so on) as separate stores within the supermarket. You wouldn’t shop at every store at a mall the same way, would you? You know better than to idly browse through a jewelry store, don’t you? So apply the same approach to the grocery store. Target the sections that are safe to browse through — the produce section, primarily — and steer clear of the dangerous sections (the candy, ice cream, and potato chip aisles).

4. Shop with a list. Organize your shopping list based on the tip above — that is, by the sections of the store. This will have you out of the supermarket at the speed of light. If you’re a woman, consider getting your husband or son to do the food shopping, says Joan Salge Blake, R.D., clinical assistant professor of nutrition at Boston University’s Sargent College. The latest survey from the Food Marketing Institute shows that compared to women, men are more likely to buy only what’s on the grocery list. But shopping with a list has benefits beyond speed and spending. By lashing yourself to the discipline of a well-planned shopping list, you can resist the seductive call of aisle upon aisle of junk food, thereby saving your home, your family, and yourself from an overload of empty calories.

5. Food-shop with a full stomach. We’re sure you’ve heard this one before, but it’s worth repeating. Walking through the grocery store with your tummy growling can make you vulnerable to buying anything that isn’t moving, says Blake. If you can’t arrange to shop shortly after a meal, be sure to eat an apple and drink a large glass of water before heading into the store.

6. Buy a few days before ripe. There’s no point in trying to buy fresh vegetables and fruits for your family if the bananas turn brown and the peaches mushy two days after you get them home. Buy fruit that’s still a day or two behind ripeness. It will still be hard to the touch; bananas will be green. Feel carefully for bruises on apples, check expiration dates on bagged produce, and stay away from potatoes or onions that have started to sprout. If the produce on the shelves looks a bit beyond its peak, don’t walk away; ask to speak to the produce manager. Chances are, there’s a fresh shipment in the back just waiting to be put out on store shelves. For a real taste treat, if you’re going to eat them within the next couple of days, pick up a bunch of vine-ripened tomatoes. There’s just no comparison.

7. Buy in season. Sure, it’s tempting to buy strawberries in December, and once in a while that’s fine. But fresh fruit and vegetables are best when purchased in season, meaning they’ve come from relatively close to home. They often cost less, are tastier, and have less risk of pathogens such as E. coli.

8. Buy organic whenever possible. Sure, it costs a few dollars more. But a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organically grown fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants than conventionally produced foods. However, if organic is too pricey for you, don’t worry; organic or not, fruits and veggies are key to a healthy larder.

9. Buy frozen. Frozen fruits and vegetables are often flash frozen at the source, locking in nutrients in a way fresh or canned can’t compete with. Stock your freezer with bags of frozen vegetables and fruits. You can toss the veggies into soups and stews, microwave them for a side dish with dinners, or thaw them at room temperature and dip them into low-fat salad dressing for snacks. Use the fruits for desserts, smoothies, and as ice cream and yogurt toppings.

10. Stock up on canned tomato products. Here’s one major exception to the “fresher is better” rule. Studies find that tomato sauces and crushed and stewed tomatoes have higher amounts of the antioxidant lycopene than fresh, because they’re concentrated. Canned tomatoes are a godsend when it comes to quick dinners in the kitchen. Warm up a can with some crushed garlic for a chunky pasta sauce; pour a can over chicken breasts and simmer in the crock pot; add to stews and sauces for flavor and extra nutrients.

11. Stock up on canned beans. Although they may have a bit more sodium than we like, that’s easy enough to get rid of with a good rinse in the sink. Beans can be mixed with brown rice, added to soups and stews, pureed with onions and garlic into hummus for dipping, or served over pasta for a traditional pasta e fagioli. In fact, all the hype about pasta raising blood sugar really comes down to this: What are you putting on your pasta? The soluble fiber in beans lowers blood sugar and insulin, making the combination of pasta and beans a healthful — as well as delicious — dish.

12. Spend some time in the condiment aisle. With the following basic ingredients you have the underpinnings for wonderful sauces, low-fat marinades, and low-salt flavorings. These delightful flavorings enable you to stay away from the less-healthy condiment items, such as mayonnaise, butter, stick margarine, creamy salad dressings, and so on: flavored ketchup's and barbecue sauces (look for sugar-free varieties), horseradish, mustard's, flavored vinegars, extra-virgin olive oil, jarred bruschetta and pesto sauces (luscious spooned atop salmon and baked), capers, jarred olives, sun-dried tomatoes, jarred spaghetti sauce, anchovies, roasted red peppers, Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, hot pepper sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, walnut oil, teriyaki sauce, jarred salsas, and various kinds of marmalade's.

13. Try some of the new whole grain alternatives. Today you can find wonderful whole grain pastas and couscous, instant brown rice that cooks up in 10 minutes instead of the old 50, even whole grain crackers. Hodgson Mills makes a delicious whole wheat pasta with flax-seeds. It really tastes great, and you can scarcely do any better when it comes to nutrition. While you’re at it, pick up a bag of whole wheat flour to replace the white stuff in your canister.

30 Healthy Cholesterol Tips

Tips on managing high cholesterol and keeping your heart healthy

1. Find more ways to walk. Can you walk to the store for milk? Park farther away? Take the stairs? If you can move more, DO! Physical activity is vital to heart health.

2. Eat six or more small meals a day. A large study of British adults found that people who ate six or more times a day had lower cholesterol than those who ate twice a day, even though the "grazers" got more calories and fat!

3. Fix all your sandwiches on whole grain bread. Eating more complex carbs, like whole grain bread and brown rice, can increase HDL levels slightly and significantly lower triglycerides, another type of blood fat that contributes to heart disease.

4. Say cheese! Women who ate a serving a day (about the size of four dice) had higher HDL (good cholesterol) and lower LDL (bad) than those who ate less, according to a study at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

5. No laughing matter. A recent study showed that diabetes patients who watched funny sitcoms for 30 minutes, along with their standard meds, reduced their heart risk substantially: They had about a 26 percent increase in HDL ("good" cholesterol), compared with a bump of just 3 percent among patients in the control group.

6. Brew it better. If you're worried about cholesterol, stick to paper-filtered and instant coffees. Unfiltered coffees, which are typically made with a French press, contain more of a cholesterol-raising substance called cafestol.

7. Make the move to nonfat milk. If you drink whole milk, switch to 2 percent. If you already drink 2 percent, move to 1 percent. If you drink 1 percent, you're ready for nonfat.

8. Start with soup. Studies show that folks who begin their meals with soup end up eating fewer calories by the end of the day without feeling hungrier. Give it a try with a broth-based soup.

9. Bag some barley. Thanks to its impressive stash of soluble fiber, which slows the digestion of food and the rise of blood sugar, barley is much friendlier to blood sugar than rice for most people. And it lowers cholesterol to boot.

10. Start three days this week with oatmeal, a proven cholesterol-reducer. Use the old-fashioned or quick-cooking kind, not instant.

11. Sip a cup of black tea every four hours. Government scientists found that three weeks of drinking five cups a day of black tea reduced cholesterol levels in people with mildly high levels.

12. Berry good news. Adults who ate about a cup of berries a day lowered their blood pressure and raised their HDL (good) cholesterol after eight weeks, according to a new study from Finland.

13. Pay attention to fiber. Studies find that eating 10 to 30 grams of soluble fiber a day -- much more than the average American eats -- reduces LDL about 10 percent. Aim to up your intake slowly though, otherwise you may experience some bloating and flatulence.

14. The use of medication doesn't have to be permanent. If you improve your diet and increase your activity level, you may reduce your cholesterol enough to get off the medication and stay off it!

15. Add half a tablespoon of cinnamon to your coffee before starting the pot. A Pakistani study found that 6 grams cinnamon a day (about 1/2 tablespoon) reduced LDL cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes by nearly 30 percent.

16. Try turmeric. Small studies have found that curcumin, a component of turmeric, cuts cholesterol. Heat a little oil in a sauté pan, and toss in a tablespoon of turmeric, a dash of salt, and a generous pinch of black pepper (pepper can increase your uptake of curcumin by up to 2,000 percent). Stir for a minute, then add veggies and lean protein for a healthy, sunny dish.

17. Pop edamame as a snack. Just half a cup contains nearly 4 grams fiber, not to mention the soy isoflavones in these soybeans. Consumption of both has been linked to lower cholesterol.

18. Fall in love with olive oil. A study found that people who consumed about 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil daily for just one week had lower LDL and higher levels of antioxidants in their blood.

19. Put your pizza on a diet. Order a veggie pie with extra vegetables. Or, if you must have meat on your pizza, make it chicken or ham, not pepperoni. Or try clams, shrimp, or anchovies!

20. Practice deep breathing four times a week for two to four minutes. Use this technique when you're faced with a stressful situation to mitigate your body's reactions.

21. Take as prescribed. If you need cholesterol medication, statins are generally prescribed first, but your doctor may also suggest bile acid sequestrants, fibrates or prescription niacin, all of which will help.

22. Make healthy eating easy. If time's an issue, buy "semiprepared" foods. Some examples: boneless, skinless chicken breast; broccoli and cauliflower florets; and bagged salad.

23. Bag the butter. Dip breads in olive oil instead, or try a sterol-based spread. In the kitchen, try replacing butter with olive or canola oil.

24. Make meals picture-perfect. On days when you don't have salad, add a piece of fruit to your lunch. Or better yet, have fruit at lunch and salad with dinner.

25. Get creative with vegetables. Throw frozen veggies (no need to defrost!) into soups.

26. Step to it. Try to get at least 2,000 steps a day just through everyday activities, like vacuuming and gardening. Make it easy and check out a sports store for a pedometer.

27. Bored with your walks? Invite a friend to break up the tedium or try a new route -- both can make for a more enjoyable experience, and time will go much faster.

28. Lower stress levels with an enjoyable hobby. Can't think of one? Jot down your favorite childhood pastimes, then find one you can transfer to your adult life. For instance, if you loved to draw, find a drawing class nearby and sign yourself up!

29. Sprinkle wheat germ or flax-seed (both rich in omega-3 fatty acids) over salads, yogurt, and cereal.

30. Set the alarm on your computer to go off once an hour. This is your signal to get up and take a short, five-minute walk.