Y7 March

Y7 COOK BETTER WITH OUR COOKING HACKS

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TIPS FOR TEETH WHITENINGÂ

THE HACK ISSUE

Y7 Contents “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

- Benjamin Franklin To our readers: When we take a step back, we gain a wider perspective, from out view of our world to our view of ourselves. This helps us discern the true nature of what’s in from of is, whether it’s a persons we’re just meeting or an influential person from the past a natural phenomenon in the world around us, or even our own selves. Perspective also helps us get a handle on our fear. For though at times it may hobble us, we can step back and place fear in a context that allows us to live out best lives despite it.

This Month’s Issue 5

Tips For a Fun Easter Egg Hunt

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What Your Breath Says About Your Health

12

10 Hacks to Slim Up This Summer

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The Mellow Yellow: 7 Banana Hacks

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10 Tips for Teeth Whitening

21

23 Awesome Travel Hacks to Add Fun To Your Trip

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20 Basic Cooking Hacks Everyone Should Know

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20 Study Hacks to Add Fun to Your Trip

38

44 Home Cleaning Hacks You Wish You Knew Before

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15 Ways to Manifest Your Desires

Editor in Chief: Dr. Hassan A Farhat MD Creative Designers: Saood Mukhtar and April Khan Editorial Manager: Dinah Rashid Chief Content Officer: April Khan

Tips for a Fun Easter Egg Hunt 1. Go on a puzzle piece egg hunt.

Buy blank puzzle sets here and create your own message. Hide each piece in individual eggs, and make the kids hunt for them to find out the secret message.

2. Make an edible Easter basket.

1. Glue the candy boxes together as shown.

2. Cut out a piece of cardboard that will fit the bottom of the basket. Glue it to the bottom of the boxes.

3. Hot glue one end of the Laffy Taffy rope to the middle and top of the candy box. Glue the other end of the rope to the middle of the other box of candy. Do this one more time with the remaining rope.

4. Fill basket with grass and goodies.

3. Use Kool-Aid to dye eggs.

Pour one envelope of each Kool-Aid color and 2/3 cup water into separate glasses, stirring to dissolve the drink mix. Use a spoon to place a hard-boiled egg into each cup. Keep eggs submerged until the desired color is reached.

4. Get speckled eggs with a toothbrush.

5. Make dying eggs easier for younger kids with a whisk.

Just move a couple of the wires apart to insert and remove the egg.

6. Give teen girls nail polish eggs.

7. Make hat baskets for teenage boys.

8. Or, use umbrellas as baskets.

9. Create bunny jars.

10. Use leftover Peeps to make s’mores.

11. Or, use Peeps to make play dough.

All you need is a handful of Peeps, cornstarch, coconut oil, and some food coloring to make some taste-safe play dough!

12. Throw some leftover Peeps into pancakes.

Use your favorite pancake recipes plus a little extra baking powder for fluffier cakes. Get creative and add a bit of vanilla bean for extra flavor.

13. Peel boiled eggs easily by putting a lemon wedge in the boiling water.

14. Make festive, colorful deviled eggs.

Peel hard-boiled eggs, then cut them in half and remove the yolks before dying the whites.

15. Stick clear adhesive dots onto eggs and dip in sprinkles or glitter for easy decorating.

Find clear adhesive dots on Amazon for about $4.

16. Wrap eggs in rubber bands before dipping in dye for a cool stripe effect.

17. Freeze juice in plastic eggs for Easter popsicles.

Use a nail to poke a hole into the bottom of a plastic egg. Then, use an icing/piping tip as a funnel, and fill the egg with fruit juice. Place the filled egg in an empty egg carton, then poke a round popsicle stick into the hole, and freeze until firm or overnight.

18. Have a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt.

If you have bigger eggs, you can just fold up an entire glow-in-the-dark bracelet (cheap at Dollar Tree stores) and slip it into plastic eggs. To get the spattered look, cut up bracelets over a sink, and put a small section inside each egg. Close the egg and shake (any loose paint washes off easily with water).

19. Throw eggs filled with paint for a fun art activity.

Drain a dozen eggs by using a push pin to make several small holes on top of each egg. Once you’ve made enough push-pin holes, you should be able to easily break away a portion of an egg. Create a large enough hole to pour paint through, then watch your kids have fun creating modern masterpieces!

20. Help kids make jelly bean jewelry.

Use a needle and thread to make these edible accessories.

21. Make mini cheesecake nests. .

What Your Bad Breath Says About Your Health

By Destri Bi

Causes of Bad Breath Zach Gonzales Chances are, you already know the basics when it comes to keeping your breath minty-fresh (or at least non-offensive to those in whiffing distance). You brush, floss, and maybe do a quick rinse with mouthwash a few times a day. You wouldn’t dream of ordering garlic bread on a first date, and you always pop a stick of sugar-free gum shortly after downing your morning coffee. But let’s say you do all those things, yet your breath still stinks.

That’s the case more often than you might think, as poor oral hygiene is not the most common cause of bad breath, says Harold Katz, DDS, a dentist, bacteriologist, and founder of the California Breath Clinics. Most chronic bad breath is actually due to dry mouth: When you don’t have enough moisture, the bacteria that live in your mouth thrive. “When you sleep at night there’s little or no saliva production. That’s what causes dryness and morning breath,” explains Katz.

If morning breath is your only issue, you don’t really have a problem (just brush!). But many people have dry mouth (and the accompanying bad odor) that lingers all day, often thanks to a medication they›re taking. «Seventy-five percent of prescription drugs, including antidepressants, antihistamines, and blood pressure drugs, have dry mouth as a side effect,” says Katz. So if you find people frequently backing away when you’re talking, ask your doc if your meds might be to blame. If so, sipping more water, chewing sugarless gum, or maybe switching to a different drug could help. (Discover how to heal 95+ health conditions naturally with Rodale’s Eat for Extraordinary Health & Healing.)

In other instances, chronic bad breath could signal that something is amiss elsewhere in your body. And—believe it or not—the specific scent may provide clues that can help your doctor or dentist figure out what’s wrong.

If your breath smells like mothballs...

You might have allergies, post-nasal drip, or a sinus infection. When you have chronic sinus issues, the bacteria in your mouth can convert the proteins in mucus into a compound called skatole. Taking allergy medication, rinsing your sinuses with a neti pot, or (if your doctor determines you have a bacterial infection) starting antibiotics should help.

If your breath smells fruity...

You might have diabetes. Sugar in your bloodstream normally heads into your cells, where it’s used for energy. If that doesn’t happen, blood sugar rises, and your cells start burning fat for energy.

The byproduct of that process is ketones, which can make your breath smell fruity, says Shilpi

Agarwal, MD, a family medicine doctor and integrative medicine physician in Washington, DC. “If I noticed that in a patient, I would test her blood sugar” to see if she’s developed diabetes, says Agarwal.

If your breath smells like sour milk...

You might be lactose intolerant. This odor might indicate that you’re not breaking down the protein in dairy proteins properly, says Katz. Of course, you’ll also likely have other symptoms, such as diarrhea, cramps, and gas after indulging in milk products.

If your breath smells like a dirty diaper...

You might have a tonsil stone. Bacteria and debris can get stuck in your tonsils and form a visible «stone» in the crevices. «It›s really rotten, like a dirty diaper,» says Agarwal, who says that your primary care doctor can probably remove the offending particle with a swab or forceps.

If your breath smells like something’s rotting...

You might have a lung disease. A very foul odor—”much worse than traditional bad breath,” says Katz—could be a sign of a lung problem ranging from an infection (like pneumonia) to cancer.

Interestingly, breath tests designed to identify the odors associated with cancer are currently in the works. If you suspect you might have any problem with your lungs, see your doctor for an exam.

After listening with a stethoscope, she might refer you for blood work, a chest x-ray, or other tests.

10 Hacks To Slim Up For This Summer Dennis Kirkwood If your stomach is looking more like a keg than a six pack I have good news for you: science shows there are proven ways to slim up and get in shape in time for summer. Here are 10 of them you can start using today.

Commit to five minutes of exercise each day.

Psychologist Robert Cialdini says small commitments lead to lasting changes in his book, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.” Another psychologist, BJ Fogg, agrees. If you want to slim up fast, make a firm commitment to exercise every day for just five minutes. Those five minute sessions add up, and many days you’ll end up doing much more than that.

Replace all liquid calories with water.

Liquid calories are one of the biggest sources of excess weight gain. A single soda has around 150 calories and over a day’s worth of sugar. When you don’t burn that sugar off, your body converts it to fat. Replacing calories from soda, fruit juices, and liquid dairy products like milk with plain tea, coffee and water can save you hundreds of calories a day, which can help you lose a couple pounds every month or more.

Eat out no more than once per week.

The average restaurant meal has over 1,100 calories, and that doesn’t include drinks, appetizers and dessert! When you take into account all those things, you’re looking at around 2,000 calories for a single night eating out. Stay in and cook your own meal instead, or order a healthier option.

Many restaurants now have low calorie menus.

Use herbs and citrus to add flavor to food.

Cooking with oil, butter and salt leads to weight gain and potential health problems. Use lemons, limes and fresh herbs instead. Here are a few of my favorite flavor combinations:

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Lemon juice, basil and Parmesan-reggiano cheese

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Lime juice, cilantro and black pepper

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Thyme, rosemary and a dash of sea salt

Do a 7-minute workout.

Research shows doing interval training workouts as short as seven minutes can have more benefit than doing long, steady-state cardio workouts. Here’s the trade-off: interval training is tough.

During those seven minutes plan on sweating.

Eat breakfast every day.

According to the National Weight Control Registry, the largest database in the world that tracks people who have lost weight and kept it off, eating breakfast every day can actually help you lose weight. Stick with healthy foods like eggs, oatmeal and fresh fruit.

Eat the right foods for weight loss.

A study of over 120,000 healthy women and men spanning 20 years found eating the following foods resulted in the most sustained weight loss: •

Vegetables

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Whole grains

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Fruits

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Nuts

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Yogurt

Avoid the right foods to slim up faster.

You also need to know the foods not to eat. Research showseating fewer desserts, eating fewer fried foods, drinking fewer sugary beverages, eating more fish and eating out less were linked with the most weight loss.

Form a contingency plan for when you slip up.

Research conducted by Gollwitzer and colleagues showed implementation intentions, or “if-then” plans, are an effective strategy for helping you stick with your healthy behaviors when roadblocks arise (which they will). Another study found forming implementation intentions can help you reduce your fat intake. So write down several “if-then” statements to plan for the worst. For example, “If I go out to dinner this week, I’ll skip the bread and appetizer and order a salad with dressing on the side.”

Stop thinking in terms of “dieting.”

Diets don’t work. Research proves it. If you want to slim up that body, you need to start thinking in terms of lifestyle changes. You can lose weight when you go on a diet, but most of the time you will gain it back. Take baby steps every day and keep progressing. That’s the key to slimming up and staying slim for good.

The Mellow Yellow: 7 Banana Hacks Turns out the cheapest fruit is actually the best.

I’m a firm believer in the magic of bananas. At any given time, I have a bunch ripening on my countertop and at least six overripe bananas in my freezer waiting to be thrown into muffins, smoothies, and breads.

Bananas are versatile enough to be used in a variety of recipes without overpowering the dish. Thinking of banana hacks was easy for me, as I rarely go a day without eating one.

If you’re tired of eating your bananas plain or just want to find more ways to use this incredible fruit, try some of these banana hacks the next time you’re in the kitchen.

Use instead of eggs This trick works particularly well with chewy baked goods like brownies. For every egg the recipe calls for, use one mashed banana in its place. Make sure the banana is ripe so the consistency is right.

Make “nice” cream Remember those frozen bananas I keep in my freezer? They’re perfect for “nice” cream in the summer. Simply puree ripe, frozen bananas in a blender or food processor until they’re a soft serve-like consistency. For more flavor, add in other frozen fruits. You can also make chocolate nice cream by adding in a drizzle of maple syrup and some cocoa powder.

Ripen them quickly in the oven A trick I use all the time is putting bananas in the oven to ripen them. To do so, poke holes in your bananas with a fork and place them on a baking sheet in a 300ºF oven. Bake the bananas for 15-30 minutes, or until they’re completely brown. #SpoonTip: Let the bananas come to room temperature before adding them to baked goods, otherwise the texture of your muffins and breads will be off.

Peel from the bottom We all have that one friend who peels their bananas the “wrong way” (from the bottom and not the top). As it turns out, this is a good way to avoid a mushy first bite of banana. #SpoonTip: Be careful of the black thing at the end of your banana. No one really knows what it is, so flick it off when you peel from the bottom.

Wrap the top with plastic wrap The next time you want your bananas to ripen more slowly, wrap the tops with plastic wrap. This helps prevent ethylene gas from escaping from the stems, which is what controls the ripening process of many fruits. Some also say that separating bananas from the bunch in addition to wrapping the stems with plastic wrap will keep them from browning, but it’s yet to be proved whether that actually works.

Store bananas with other fruit to ripen them quickly I’m not sure what magic takes place in a banana, but putting a ripening banana next to other unripe fruits actually makes them ripen faster. I think this has to do with the ethylene gas emitted from a banana’s stem, which triggers the gas in other fruits as well.

Make 2-ingredient banana pancakes These banana pancakes won’t be the fluffy flapjacks you’re used to, but they’ll hit the spot.

10 Tips For Teeth Whitening Shannon Saeed We all want our teeth to look clean and healthy, nothing beats a good smile. Plus, one of the basic life skills we can show off is great dental hygiene. You know what they say: clean teeth, clean life. (I don’t think anyone has ever said that, sorry).

A social status symbol as well as an important interviewing tip, having white teeth indicates to some degree that you take care of yourself and like to look good. It’s also an attractive feature to have a nice bright smile. That’s why for these reasons and more, it’s important to brighten and maintain healthy white teeth. Here are 10 top tips to help you achieve that goal.

1. The basics matter. Remember to brush your teeth twice a day, floss at least daily and use mouthwash containing fluoride.

2. Coffee, tea, red wine and smoke stain your teeth the worst. It’s good to rinse your mouth with water after drinking these items or smoking.

3. Look for products containing peroxide. This is the key ingredient used to make your teeth white.

It’s safe although it can cause temporary sensitivity 4. Dental trays and teeth strips that recommend 20 minutes or more per application, with high peroxide levels, are considered the most effective methods.

5. According to the Cleveland Clinic, whitening toothpastes lighten your teeth by one shade where as various dentist treatments lighten by 3 – 8 shades.

6. Different whitening techniques are needed if your teeth are slightly gray versus yellow, as gray stains are not surface stains.

7. If you’re using tooth whitening toothpaste don’t forget to also use tooth whitening dental floss.

8. Plaque feeds on regular sugar but cant digest xylitol. Therefore if you chew gum, chew gum that contains xylitol to prevent plaque buildup.

9. Malic acid is a natural tooth whitener that exists in fruits such as strawberries. Crush some berries and apply the pulp to your teeth for 5 minutes.

10. Be sure to read up on the latest tooth whitening methods before beginning. One excellent source for this is Wikipedia’s “Tooth bleaching” article.

23 Awesome Travel Hacks That Add Fun To Your Trip Eddie Banks Exploring parts unknown, whether domestically or internationally, is a pastime that hundreds of millions of individuals embark on each year. For families, travel is even more precious because it allows parents to expose their children to something that could be out of their norm. That said, with all the benefits of travel come some stressors that can impede on the travel experience for just about anyone, but you don’t have to let those ruin your vacation. Today, we will take a look at 23 travel hacks that can make your vacation more productive, fun, and comfortable.

Travel Hacks Before You Leave 1. Instead of a hotel, look into reserving a home if traveling with a family, or a single room if alone.

Websites like AirBnB can provide homes and private rooms from home owners who are renting them out, usually offering better accommodations than hotels.

2. Roll your clothes when packing. Instead of creating a folded pile in your suitcase, rolling allows you to fit more things in. Plus, you can even roll underwear and socks within your clothes for optimal space-saving.

3. Scan your passport, identification card, and itinerary and email them to yourself. This provides an extra copy of each in the event of loss or theft. As an iPhone user, once I email the documents to myself, I usually open the email on my iPhone and save them onto iBooks. This provides me with an offline record.

4. It’s important to remember to call your credit or debit card company before you leave to ensure that you have your card authorized for your foreign destination. This prevents them from suspecting suspicious activity.

5. Mark your baggage as fragile. This is a tip I learned a while ago from a friend who found it to be a great way to ensure that your baggage is handled correctly. Your luggage is kept at the top because of this, which will make it one of the first bags to be released.

Travel Hacks For the Departure 6. Bring your own water bottle. Depending on the airline’s own policies regarding drink costs, the amount of times water is offered may not be to your liking. Having your own water bottle ensures that you have water when you want it. When they do come around, top off your bottle with what they give you.

7. Never underestimate the value of a fanny pack. Yes, they can be embarrassing and seemingly out of the mid-to-late 1980s, but trust me—every time I travel, even domestically, it has ensured that my valuables are safe, and it expedites security checks.

8. Splurge on Internet service if your flight is more than six-and-a-half hours long. You’ll thank me when you find that sparking conversation with your seat partner is harder than pulling teeth. Plus, you can complete work for the last time before you hit your destination.

9. Ensure that you have a pen before leaving home so you can complete customs forms. Fill the forms out when you get them, and ensure that your family members have theirs filled as well. People will clamour for your pen; flight attendants rarely have them.

10. 20 minutes before you land, sprint for the bathroom. Usually when the seatbelt light comes on, I’ve found that you still have 15 minutes of leeway until you truly have to be seated. Use this opportunity to relieve yourself to prevent fighting for restrooms when you land.

Travel Hacks When You Arrive 11. Dart directly for baggage claim. It is amazing how many people seem to lollygag after landing.

Save that for someplace else to save yourself time and to prevent any arguments with fellow travelers.

12. Use ATMs to get local currency. Using money converters in the airport usually come with their own fees and the exchange rates are a rip-off. ATMs always dispense local currency, of course, so use your debit or credit card and get your money there.

13. Ensure that you have Yelp downloaded for domestic travel in the US. This is a great city guide for both travelers and locals alike, and is best way to find the most amazing places to eat and sightsee.

14. Shop for groceries when you arrive. You don’t have to shop for a feast, but getting basics like water and a few snacks in local stores instead of at the hotel can save you a ton.

15. When in your room, remove only the necessities from your luggage. Trying to make yourself at home by taking out every pair of shoes and all of your toiletries will only make repacking a living hell, and it increases your chances of forgetting something when it’s time to go home.

Exploring Your New Location 16. Use guidebooks sparingly. I recommended Yelp because it allows you to discover a few places off the beaten path. Guidebooks only presents you with tourist spots; even those that advertised themselves as being off the beaten path.

17. Use the local language as much as possible. It reflects well not only on you, but also on Americans/your nationality in general. It shows you are willing to make the effort, which can work in your favor in some situations.

18. Have a souvenir list prepared, and stick to it. This will save you money and prevent you from purchasing something that “you’ll find someone to give to another time”.

19. Eat locally only. Save McDonalds, if you have to eat it in any location, for when you’re home.

Trying the local cuisine will save you more money and allow you to experience new and flavorful meals.

20. “When in Rome, do as the Romans” is a general saying that I like to translate it as, “don’t be a stubborn traveler, and get out of your comfort zone”. If a country advises modest dress, for example, follow through. It can even ensure your safety as a foreigner.

Travel Hacks for Returning Home 21. If you are a frequent traveler, live out of your toiletry bag and keep it packed. This will allow the packing process to be a bit easier and will prevent you from having to make expensive toiletry purchases if you forget something.

22. Use IFTTT when sharing traveling photos to make it seamless and easy. “Recipes” like sharing automatically to Dropbox or Evernote will allow you automatically to have a copy of your precious photos.

23. Unpack immediately when you enter the door. You may be tired out of your mind, but you’ll be glad you did it in the morning. Plus, it saves your luggage from smelling like soiled laundry.

The travel hacks above have helped me on my busy travel year this year, and I hope they will provide some assistance to you. Let us know in the comments below which travel hack was your favorite. Also, let us know if there are any travel hacks, not mentioned above that have proved successful for you.

20 Basic Cooking Hacks Everyone Should Know Ivan Minevich Wise old women will tell you that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but any experienced man will also tell you that one of the best ways to impress a lady is to cook for her. We all need some kitchen skills, from young students living alone to moms and dads feeding their family.

If scientists are to be believed, our food choices are even linked to our character. While some may be naturally gifted, or have had the pleasure of growing up with some talented cooks who were happy to give them a few pointers along the way, there are a lot of people out there who shy away from the kitchen because they find cooking complicated, and even a little bit confusing.

Fortunately, there are tons of great little tricks that can help anyone greatly improve their cooking game, and perhaps get a few people interested in further developing their skills. Here is a rundown of some of the most useful cooking hacks that can benefit everyone, regardless of skill level.

1. Put ice cream in a bag before putting it in the freezer Ice cream can get rock hard in the freezer and it takes ages to thaw out just enough that you can eat it. A simple trick to keep it just the right consistency is to put the container in a plastic zip lock bag before throwing it in the freezer.

2. Freeze a banana to use as base for a healthy ice cream When frozen and then mashed up, bananas create a perfect creamy ice cream base that you can be mixed with other fruit and various toppings to create a super-healthy home-made ice cream.

3. Mix pancake batter in a plastic bag to save time and make less of a mess A zip lock bag or a pastry bag can be used to mix up pancake batter. Make sure to make a small cut in a corner of the plastic bag if you don’t have a pastry bag. You have to clean up less afterwards, and you can make some very creative shapes.

4. Cut softer foods using a dental floss Things can get messy if you are cutting a particularly large cake and only have a small knife, but even things like cheese and Swiss rolls can be difficult to cut precisely. You can use dental floss to make quick and precise cuts and avoid the trouble.

5. Cook up enough food for several days on Sunday and store it in the fridge

You can spend a couple of hours on a lazy Sunday and cook up enough frozen veggies, chicken, fish, steak, rice, baked potatoes or whatever else you like to eat, and store the food in plastic containers. Mix it up, and you will have quick meals ready to go for the next few days or the entire week.

6. Use protein powder, almond milk, oat flour and frozen fruit for healthy snacks People often view pancakes as a dirty pleasure, but you can make healthy and diet-friendly pancakes using protein powder, almond milk, oat flower, different fruit and other healthy ingredients.

7. Freeze a fresh herb mixture in olive oil to add to your meals f you are the kind of person who likes to add fresh herbs to meals, you can stock up on herbs, chopped them up, put them in ice cube tray, cover them in olive oil and freeze them. Next time you are cooking something, just drop a cube in and have yourself a treat.

8. Dry out herbs in the microwave For a more permanent storage solution, you can buy a bunch of herbs at the flea market – make your own unique blend of herbs – and then dry them out in the microwave. Put them in for 20 second intervals, and keep turning them over until they are completely dry, at which point you can crush them up.

9. Throw a slice of apple in with baked treats to keep them soft and moist Baked treats tend to get fairly dry and don’t taste so good after a while. A good way to combat this is to keep them in a plastic container with an apple slice, which will help them preserve moisture and stay yummy for much longer.

10. Let you eggs sit in the fridge for a few days if you want them to peel easily Boiled eggs are sometimes notoriously difficult to peel, but that’s just fresh eggs. Week old eggs are perfectly fine to eat, but they are incredibly easy to peal, so make sure you buy eggs well in advance and let them sit in the fridge for a while before boiling them.

11. You can use a spoon to help you peel fresh eggs more quickly In case you just have to eat some boiled eggs right now and you only have fresh ones, you can add a little salt in the water with them and then use a spoon to crack one ends slightly and start peeling the shell from the inside. It’s incredibly quick and simple.

12. Soak eggs in white vinegar for several minutes when making poached eggs To make perfect poached eggs you need to keep the eggs in a consistent shape when boiling them in water. A simple, trick to ensure that the egg whites keep a consistent shape is to soak the eggs in white vinegar for several minutes before breaking them open.

13. Weave bacon strips into a square shape and bake them in the oven Bacon is actually cooked much more evenly in the oven than in the frying pan, and to go a step further you can weave them into a square shape first. It’s a great shape for sandwiches, and you won’t have chunks falling out.

14. Grill your fish on top of lemon slices Fish will tend to stick and even break up when placed on the grill, but if you put it on top of lemon slices and grill it like that it will be much easier to prepare, and it will get that nice zesty flavor.

15. Slap some wet paper towels on bottles of soda or beer to cool them much faster You have guests arriving any minute now, and your beverages are all lukewarm? Well, have no fear, just take a few wet paper towels and wrap them around the bottles before throwing them in the freezer. It will cool your drinks down incredibly fast.

16. Make the perfect hash browns using a waffle iron Making hash browns can be a bit of a hassle, but a very simple trick is to just throw them on a waffle iron and slam it shut. That golden brown color you are going for will be nice and even, and you won’t have to do much work at all.

17. Microwave oysters for 10-20 seconds to make them much easier to open Oysters can require quite a bit of brute force to open, and you don’t want to be pressing hard on something with a knife and risk having it slip and hurt you. The simple solution is to microwave them for 10-20 seconds, which loosens them up and allows you to open them using much less force.

18. Run some water over stale bread and throw it in the oven to make it fresh and crunchy If all you’ve got is a baguette or a loaf of bread that is getting a bit stale, but you don’t have time

to run to the store and get some more, just run it through some water and put it in the oven for 5-10 minutes. You can also wrap it in a damp towel and then pop it in the oven. It will be fresh and crunchy like you just baked it.

19. Drip chocolate over a balloon to create edible dessert cups Melt some chocolate into a bowl and then dip an inflated balloon in it so that the chocolate sticks all around it in a semicircular shape. Once it has cooled down just pop the balloon and take it out.

Voila! You now have chocolate bowls to serve your dessert in.

20. Use two plates to slice cherry tomatoes in one smooth motion If you are making a salad and need to chop a whole bunch of cherry tomatoes in half, just trap them between two plates and slice through them with a knife. You can slice a dozen or more of them in one clean movement.

Make sure to arm yourself with these great cooking hacks, as well as a little bit of patience, and you will soon become the master of your kitchen, cooking up decent meals and flaunting your newfound skill in front of others.

20 Study Hacks to Improve Your Memory Janice Heck

We’ve scoured our brains and the internet for the best study hacks to help your brain remember information quicker and easier and ultimately help you do better in your exams.

1. Walk Before An Exam It’s been proven that exercise can boost your memory and brain power. Research conducted by Dr. Chuck Hillman of the University of Illinois provides evidence that about 20 minutes exercise before an exam can improve performance.

2. Speak Out Loud Instead of Simply Reading Although this may make you look a little crazy, give it a go! You will be surprised how much more you can remember when you’ve said it out loud. Warning: Don’t try this in a crowded library!

3. Reward Yourself With A Treat There are many ways to integrate a reward system into your habits so you learn how to study for exams more efficiently.

4. Teach What You Have Learned The best way to test if you really understand something is to try to teach it to someone else. If you can’t get anyone to listen to you explain the Pythagorean Theorem, why not teach a class of stuffed animals!

5. Create Mental Associations The ability to make connections is not only an easier way to remember information, but it’s the fuel of creativity and intelligence. Steve Jobs famously said “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because

they didn’t really do it, they just saw something”

Mind Maps are an easy way to connect ideas by creating a visual overview of different connections.

6. Draw Diagrams Drawing diagrams will help you to visualise information which would be hard to describe. This creates a visual memory in your mind which can be recalled in an exam. You may even be asked to draw or label diagrams such as the human heart in your exam so get practicing!

7. Times New Roman is the Fastest Font to Read Simply put – there’s a reason why Times New Roman is the default font on most applications!

8. Use Apps to Block Distracting Sites The SelfControl app helps you to avoid distractions by blocking websites for a certain amount of time.

9. Watch a Documentary on the Topic Documentaries are an entertaining way of compacting an entire story into a short timeframe. This will help you remember key details from a story plus you may even get extra credit for mentioning that you took the initiative and watched a film about the topic!

10. Search Google Like a Pro Save time when researching sources online by mastering the biggest search engine in the world; Google.

11. Create Flashcards for Quick Memory Buzz Quickly test your knowledge of key concepts, definitions, quotes and formulas with flashcards.

12. Take Regular Study Breaks

When your brain is working, you need to take regular study breaks to help your brain absorb more information but also to keep you motivated and focused when you are working. Take a short break after 45-50 minutes study as your focus and concentration will become impaired after this period, anything new after 1 hour 30 minutes does not get assimilated.

13. Listen to the Correct Type of Music 14. Make Your Study Space Portable We may be creatures of habit with favourite seats in the library but information retention actually improves when you vary the places where you study.

15. Practice, Practice, Practice…

Practicing sample answers to past exam questions can help train your brain to retrieve information. Create realistic, exam-like condition and test your understanding by using our new Quiz tool.

16. Don’t Stay Up All Night Before an Exam Make sure to get adequate rest the nights leading up to your exams. When you sleep, your brain assimilates the information you have learned when studying so getting a good night’s sleep will help you remember those pesky maths formulas you need for your exam!

17. Discover News Ways to Learn Trying new study methods can help you find what really works for you. Use technology to your advantage by watching educational TED Talks or downloading useful dictionary apps for example.

18. Use Scents or Gum to Jog Your Memory This may seem a bit random but spraying an unfamiliar scent while you’re studying is one of the study methods that can help jog your memory when you spray it again just before an exam. Chewing a strange kind of gum will work the same way.

19. Study in a Group

Studying in a group can help you collect new insights to enhance your learning experience.

The GoConqr groups tool is an innovative spin on the traditional study group formula. Our Groups tool helps you share resources, discuss ideas and interact with members of your team or group project.

20. Meditate Meditation is one of the study methods that can help students stay focused when studying. Not only will meditation help you concentrate when studying but it will help reduce pre-exam stress as it improves both mental and physical health.

44 Home Cleaning Hacks You’ll Wish You Knew Before!

Clair Clark I love to clean — I don’t what it is, but I just love it — and anyone who knows my mother wouldn’t be surprised to hear that.

So I have a lot of experience, from scrubbing the floors with a toothbrush to vacuuming and dusting (pretty much everything in my home).

Whether you constantly clean your house or only really tidy things up before guests arrive, knowing a few quick and easy tricks can make the process a whole lot easier!

So to help save you some time and frustration, along with a lot of wasted money on cleaning products, here’s a list of some cheap and easy hacks that will transform your cleaning routine!

1. Cinnamon In The Sandbox Keeps The Bugs Away!

Yep. Sprinkle some cinnamon in that sandbox to keep buggy pests from crawling all over your kid.

Sprinkle and mix a whole bottle of cinnamon in with the sand. Works like a charm. Bugs hate cinnamon, they love pepper. Everybody knows that. UGH. 2. Use Dental Floss to Cut A Cake This works great if you want perfectly clean slices, especially with softer cakes like cheesecake or mousse cakes. Perfect for bringing to the park and disposing after use, instead of having to carry a dirty knife back with you. Works great for soft cheeses, too!

3. Use Bottle Nipple As Medicine Dispenser My mom showed me this when Pearl was a baby, and my mind was blown. I would put the gripe water or colic calm in the nipple and let my child suck the liquid out. Genius! Apparently people have been doing this for quite some time, but since I didn’t know this as a new mom, there may be some of you out there that will find this one helpful!

4. Cupcake Liner as Popsicle Drip Catcher I can’t tell you the amount of stains I’ve had to have removed from my rugs due to Pearl’s popsicle drippings. She now has to eat them naked, outside. If I would have known this sooner, It would have saved me a lot of trouble!

5. Hanging Shoe Rack as Cleaning Supply Organizer This is a great way to get the cleaning supplies all organized and out from under the sink. How great is this?!? Could also be used to store crafting supplies.

6. Section off Ground Meat Before Freezing For Perfect Portions

I actually have been doing this for a long time…it is really helpful! Cuts down on waste & every portion is perfect! Break off what you need and keep the rest frozen.

7. Wrap the Ends of Bananas with Plastic Wrap to Keep Twice as Long Not exactly sure about the science behind this, but it works! Wrap the ends of the banana bunch in plastic wrap & it will keep the bananas from over ripening quickly.

8. Keep Onions in The Refigerator to Prevent Crying While Cutting Cold onions make you produce a lot less tears when you cut them! My brother in law taught me this, and I’ve been keeping my onions in the refrigerator ever since.

9. Pour Pancake Batter From A Squeeze Bottle For Fun Shapes I love this! You can buy a condiment squeeze bottle practically anywhere for really cheap, or use an empty ketchup bottle. Pour the pancake batter in it and use it to make precision shaped flapjacks!

Mickey mouse, hearts, letters…the possibilities are endless!

10. Clean Toys In the Dishwasher This is perfect for all of the infant toys that don’t contain electronics. Put them all in the dishwasher & set on a gentle sanitizing setting, no detergent needed. Voila! Clean & sterile toys.

11. Wear a Bathrobe Over Work Clothes Until Kids Leave for School How many times has your blouse been stained before you even get out of the door? Try putting on a thin bathrobe over your clothes & removing it right before you walk out of the door to prevent anything from getting on your clothes during the morning routine with the kids!

12. Make An Instant Art Bib With Glad Press n’ Seal No washing of clothing involved! Just press and seal the plastic directly onto front of the shirt for an instant art smock.

13. Use a Pool Noodle as a Bed Bumper for Bed Transitioning Tots Place a pool noodle under the fitted sheet of a toddler bed or any bed for a perfect bumper to keep your child safe in the bed. I think these make the bed look like a giant changing table, but I must say, it is a very cheap alternative to the expensive guard rails that can cost over $50.

14. Wet Paper Towel Around Bottle & Freeze for 15 Minute Cold Beverage Enjoy an ice cold glass of beer or wine in 15 minutes by simply wrapping a wet paper towel around the bottle & putting it in the freezer. Don’t leave it in too long! 15 minutes should be enough to get it ice cold.

15. Cut A Sticker In Half to Show Toddler Which Foot Goes Where A great visual for a toddler! It’s like a puzzle piece. Cut the sticker in half and place one side in each shoe. That way your kid will know which one goes on the left, and which one goes on the right.

15 Ways to Manifest Your Desires Jenny Banks You are a powerful creator and you can create your dreams by mapping out a vision for your life and deliberately choosing beliefs, feelings and actions that support that vision. If you need some inspiration, here are 15 ways to manifest your desires.

1. Adopt an attitude of gratitude.

When you are living in a state of gratitude and appreciation for all of the blessings in your life, you are sending a clear signal to the Universe that you have everything that you desire. This in turn will attract more of your desires into your life, because the world is a reflection of you.

2. Visualize living your dreams with feeling.

Spend five minutes a day visualizing yourself living your dream life in as much detail as possible.

Where are you? Who are you with? What are you doing? What can you see, smell, hear, taste and touch? Focus on the sensations and feelings and make them as real as possible.

3. Create a new identity.

Imagine for a moment that you already had what you desire. How would you act? How would you talk? How would you walk, think, feel, dress and make decisions? Create a clear picture of You 2.0 and act as if you are this person throughout your day, until it becomes your natural state of being.

4. Clean up your clutter.

When you are holding onto the old you are not making room for the new in your life. Let go of anything that no longer serves you or does not help you to feel your best.

5. Physically prepare for your dreams to arrive.

If you truly expected your dreams to occur, what would you be doing to prepare? Do that now. If you want to attract a romantic partner, buy a spare toothbrush. If you want to attract new clients, block off time in your calendar. If you want to attract financial abundance, get your bank accounts and finances well organized so you can easily handle any new income.

6. Ask for divine guidance.

Your soul or higher self can see beyond what your physical self and rational mind can see. Surrender control and begin to pray and ask for daily guidance to move you in the direction of your goals and dreams.

7. Let go of attachment to outcomes.

The are an infinite number of ways your desires can manifest in your life. Rather than getting too attached to one specific dating partner, job, house or opportunity, cultivate an open mind and an unwavering sense of trust in the unfolding of your dreams.

8. Follow your intuition.

Whenever you get an intuitive hit to create a new project, go to the beach, call a friend or attend an event, trust in that guidance and take action on it. When it comes to manifesting your dreams, you need to meet the Universe halfway by moving towards them.

9. Feel good now.

Instead of putting your happiness on hold until you create the life you want, learn to feel good and appreciate your life now. Make a list of things that bring you joy — like dancing, yoga, time in nature, cooking or reading — and schedule them into your week. Happiness is a way of living and thinking, not a destination.

10. Live in the present moment.

If you are constantly reliving the past or worrying about the future, you will literally miss out on seeing and experiencing the beauty, blessings and miracles all around you. Touch base with the present moment by noticing the sights, sounds and smells around you.

11. Write a dreams journal.

Write about your dream day in the past tense as if it had just unfolded. Describe in great detail all of the amazing things that unfolded and how happy and grateful it made you feel.

12. Celebrate your wins.

Don’t get so focused on your next big dream that you forget to take note of all of the wonderful things that are currently unfolding. Celebrate your daily wins big and small.

13. Use affirmations with feeling.

Affirmations are a powerful tool to reprogram your subconscious mind. Write a list of empowering beliefs that would support your goals and dreams, such as: I am enough. I am powerful. I am loved. I am financially secure. I am divinely guided and inspired. I am complete and beautiful exactly as I am. Make sure you feel them as you say them. Feeling is the secret ingredient.

14. Exercise your imagination.

As a child, your imagination was wild and free! But you may have lost touch with this powerful and innate gift. Reactive your imagination more by asking yourself questions each morning like: What is the most outrageously amazing thing that could happen to me today? What would I love to happen today? How can I give to the world today?

15. Find ways to live your dreams today.

The more you can feel like you are living your dreams today, the faster they will manifest in your life. Find small ways to begin living your dreams today. If you dream of finding love, take yourself on solo dates and find ways to give to others. If you dream of having financial abundance, wear your best clothes and take care of your belongings. If you dream of traveling, explore your own city and try new activities. All of these small actions will begin to create a new feeling inside of you, which will in turn attract opportunities for the fulfillment of your dreams.