1115 tips2018 magazine by More Content Now / Gannett

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About this section

tips

Time&Money is a new lifestyle brand from GateHouse Media that aims to help you spend your time and money more wisely. Through our website and weekly section we try to help you save money on the things you gotta have — like groceries and school supplies — and save time — say, on dinner prep or when making buying decisions — so you can spend it doing what matters. * We must confess: There aren’t 2,018 tips on these pages alone. Only about 635. The rest can be found at your newspaper’s website: Add /timeandmoney to the URL. If you’d like to see Time&Money in your newspaper, or have any questions or comments about the content, write to timeandmoney@gatehousemedia.com.

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7-17 18-31 32-35 Shopping & Saving

Writers Deena Bouknight, Danielle Braff Melissa Erickson, John Sucich

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Apps for organization

Here are some apps that can help you get a grip on your life.

IFTTT This helps you automate everyday tasks between the numerous apps you use daily. IFTTT works with more than 360 apps (including Twitter, Google Drive and Instagram) and allows you to streamline notifications. Users can stay informed from various publications, receive weather notifications, message a group of friends or family, use automated and intelligent home security alerts, streamline social media posts, save mobile screenshots in a specific album, back up important files and trigger events based on your location. Cost: Free to download to iOS and Android. Find it: www.ifttt.com

Dropbox This app gives you a place to store all of your photos, documents, videos and any other files you need to keep. With Dropbox, users can access files on any device (offline as well), create and edit Microsoft Office files, and share links to your largest files without using email attachments. Along with the ability to send and share large files, users can also share files with anyone, even if they don’t have Dropbox. Cost: Free to download to iOS and Android. Find it: www.dropbox.com/mobile

24me If a personal assistant would help you get organized, the 24me app is just that. It notifies you about everything that is happening in your day. The app gives users one place for organizing calendars, tasks, notes and personal accounts, syncing capabilities with all your calendars, auto-generation of tasks and reminders, autocompletion of tasks and errands, and the ability to share events, tasks and reminders. Cost: Free to download to iOS and Android. Find it: www. twentyfour.me

Remember the Milk This is a to-do app for the busiest of people. Users can keep their to-do lists in one place and be reminded of tasks via email, IM, Twitter and mobile notifications. You can also share your lists and give tasks to others, stay in sync with your other devices, organize your priorities with due dates, search your tasks and notes, and see tasks near your location to help you get your list done. Cost: Free to download to iOS and Android. Find it: www.rememberthemilk.com

Help kids be media-savvy While they may seem to be fluent in social media and everything cyber-related, often better than their elders, America’s middle school, high school and college-age kids are dismayingly unable to distinguish between real and fake news, according to a 2017 report from researchers at Stanford Graduate School of Education. To determine whether news is credible, Sierra Filucci of the nonprofit Common Sense Media recommends encouraging your children to ask the following questions when reading something online: • Who made this? • Who is the target audience? • Who paid for this? • Who gets paid if you click on this? • Who might benefit or be harmed by this message? • What is left out of this message that might be important? • Is this credible (and what makes you think that)? • Are multiple credible sources reporting it?

Stop robocalls FREEPIK.COM

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Robocalls are getting more frequent and more dangerous. Here are a few ways to keep them at bay, from Ryan Kalember, senior vice president of cybersecurity strategyat Proofpoint, and Alex Quilici, chief executive of YouMail, via The New York Times: • Don’t answer calls from unfamiliar numbers. • List your numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, www.donotcall.gov. Report violators to complaints.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx. • Look into spam-blocking apps like Truecaller, RoboKiller, Mr. Number, Nomorobo and Hiya. • Don’t provide any information. Pushing a number or saying a phrase to opt-out only confirms your number is a working one, and the FCC warned in March to not even say “yes” — some spammers ask a question first like “Can you hear me?” to prompt you to confirm. They then can use your voice to authorize other actions.

Stay safe from ransomware It’s been almost three decades since the first documented case of ransomware. The attacks became more prominent about a decade ago and through the years have cost victims millions of dollars. What you need to know: • Ransomware is malware — software intended to damage your computer — affecting a person’s ability to access their files or to use their computer at all until a ransom is paid to restore access. Sometimes it locks down your computer and shows you a full-screen message, and sometimes it encrypts files so you can’t access them. The problem has affected computer users both at home and in large corporations. • Whether at home or work, make sure your files are backed up regularly on a secure external hard drive. • Also, make sure all software — especially antivirus software — is up-to-date, and stay educated about ransomware.

• Don’t click on any links or messages from people or organizations you don’t know or trust. • If you are hit with ransomware and you’ve backed up your files on an external drive, that drive should not be affected and you should be able to access those files.

• Experts discourage victims from paying the ransom. If you have already paid, make sure to check with your bank to see if you can cancel the transaction or if your bank account has also been infiltrated. • Whether or not you have paid the ransom, you should contact local authorities. There is no guarantee that paying the money will allow you to access your files again. The same is true of any ransom, since sometimes the victim is asked to fill out a survey instead of paying money. In fact, by engaging with the ransomware at all you may be opening yourself up to more malware. • Depending on the kind of ransomware you were hit with and whether your computer has been locked, you may be able to remove the ransomware from your computer. If you are techsavvy you can follow directions about how to do this online; otherwise, consult an expert on how to go about cleaning your computer.

Keep sane on social media CNN reported in May that Instagram and Snapchat are mental downers. Considering that the average person spends close to an hour daily on these apps, that is bad news. The study CNN references is by the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom; it was based on a survey of 1,500 people ages 14-24 that addressed the impact of popular apps on everything from self-identity to depression. To limit the negative effects of social media, Psychology Today offers: • Unplug and detach for long periods of time. • Arrange face-to-face interaction through hobbies and extracurricular activities. • Keep it in perspective — most of what is posted is not the reality of people’s lives. • Use it to learn and get inspired. • Ask for help if negativity and depression overwhelm.

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Shopping&Saving

Get the better deal

What is bitcoin?

Here’s a bit on bitcoin, according to CNN Tech: • It’s essentially a currency alternative. The IRS, though, treats bitcoin as property, according to BitConnect, a site focused on bitcoin education and updates. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission labels it as security, or money. • It was created as a way to purchase items online anonymously and not be charged fees or be subject to any specific regulations imposed by specific countries. It is also a virtual investment option. • There are several marketplace sites, including Spectrocoin, Kraken and Coinbase. • First, one must set up a “wallet” so that the bitcoin can be transferred to it for storage. The wallet can then be connected to a personal bank account. • There are sites that show the value of bitcoin and provide a calculator to determine price. In 2017, bitcoin’s value has risen dramatically. • Bitcoin can be bought whole or in fractions. • Once it is in a wallet, it can be sent to friends or family, used to purchase items, donated to charity and more. More than 100,000 merchants worldwide accept bitcoin, mostly in the U.S. and Europe. • To get into a wallet, many security steps must be followed to determine user identity. The wallet site will send a code to the user in order to access. Verification codes — which serve as passwords — change continuously.

Are wire-free earbuds worth it?

What is Amazon’s Dash Wand?

Amazon’s Dash Wand is a voice-assisted device that incorporates Alexa, which Fortune points out is “the virtual personal assistant persona that drives Amazon’s Echo devices.” Here’s what it’s all about: • Lightweight and sleek, Dash Wand answers questions when a button is pushed. No need to say the wake word, “Alexa,” before each question. • It will find recipes and convert measurements. • It can control Alexa-compatible smart-home devices; for example, it can preheat an oven. • Tech-watchers such as GeekWire are betting that Dash Wand will be used primarily to grocery-shop. Just by saying or scanning items needed, Dash Wand fills an Amazon cart on its phone app. (Note: To do this customers must have a Prime account.) • It is water-resistant and magnetic, so it can hang on a refrigerator. • Cost is $20. • Before procuring Dash Wand, realize that it is not a fully functioning Echo. It cannot play music, and there is a limit to what it can answer. • A major drawback is that it does not currently offer a timer function, which is crucial while cooking. • And, the fact that the wand requires the push of a button means that it can be affected by dirty hands. • The wand needs Wi-Fi to enable its magic.

• If you spot a lower price within a few weeks of purchase, you’ll often be able to get the difference refunded by going directly to the retailer. Target, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Walmart and Best Buy are a few stores that offer price adjustments. While some retailers match competitors’ prices before purchase and only their own prices afterward, Target will match select competitors’ prices up to 14 days after you buy. • Keep your receipts handy in case the store requires them. If you made your purchase online, make note of your order number before contacting the retailer. • Or try Paribus, an app that monitors price reductions and sends price adjustment requests to retailers on your behalf. • For travel purchases, it pays to make a phone call. For

What to buy used for baby Many used baby products are safe bets, especially clothing and books, said Joan Muratore, test program leader (babies & kids) at Consumer Reports. Newer toys and gear need to meet certain guidelines because of federal safety standards and tougher paint and lead regulations. • For clothing, avoid items with drawstrings, pompoms, toggles and other sewn-on decorative items, which present choking or strangulation hazards, Muratore said. • A North Face jacket or pair of Ugg booties is a great resale buy because little ones often don’t put a lot of wear and tear on these upscale goods, said resale expert Lauren Lerner. • Bouncers and Exersaucers are expensive and difficult to put together. Buying from a reputable source with positive feedback could be a good option because they can be sanitized, Lerner said. • All baby and children’s products must have permanent tracking labels with the model number and how to contact the manufacturer, Muratore said.

instance, if hotel room rates change before your stay, you can ring the front desk and ask to have your bill adjusted to the new, lower rate. • Or cancel your reservation and book again if prices drop — as long as you’re within the cancellation window, won’t face a fee and haven’t prepaid, says Rick Seaney, CEO and founder of travel website FareCompare. Always read the fine print. • Credit cards offer another approach to getting a refund through price protection. If your card has this feature, you’ll usually need to register items after you buy them with the card, then submit a claim form if you notice a price drop. For instance, Discover cardholders can file a claim to get back up to $500 on eligible items if they find a lower price within 90 days of purchase.

Keep it fresh

A few tricks to find the best fruits and vegetables: • “For most produce, buying inseason matters,” said Faith Duran, editor of TheKitchn.com. “If something is in season in your area, it doesn’t have to travel as far to get to you, so it can be harvested at its optimum flavor and ripeness since there is minimal shipping and travel time.” • Some produce, however, such as onions, avocados and potatoes, have a long shelf life and travel well, so there isn’t as much of an ideal season for these things,” said Duran, author of the James Beard Award-winning “The Kitchn Cookbook” and “Bakeless Sweets.” • “Your eyes and fingers are your best guides. Look for vibrant colors, no bruising or soft spots, and intense fragrance for things like stone fruits,” she said. • Berries should look plump and not feel mushy (taste if you can). • Citrus fruits should be shiny on the outside, indicating that they are fresh because they still have a lot of essential oils in the skin that

have not dried out. And some basic storage tips from The Kitchn: • Don’t store fruits and vegetables together because fruits’ ripening agent (ethylene) can increase spoilage in vegetables. • For vegetables, remove ties and trim leafy ends, keeping about an inch so the vegetable doesn’t dry out. Store loosely in a bag with holes for ventilation. • Wash leafy greens, then dry in a salad spinner or with paper towels. • Soft herbs and mushrooms should be washed right before consuming. • Store fruits like bell peppers, grapes, citrus and berries in the refrigerator, but non-cherry stone fruits, avocados, tomatoes, mangos, melons, apples and pears on the countertop, where they will continue to ripen. • Store bananas away from other fruits because they ripen quickly and will ripen nearby fruits.

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Since Apple introduced AirPods in 2016, a few competitors have rolled out their own wire-free earbuds. But, according to PCMag.com, drawbacks to wire-free models tested in May include poor battery life, “awkward controls” and elevated prices. Expect to pay $159 for AirPods and $299 for Bragi Dash. Other things to know before you buy: • Jim Rossman, a technology reviewer for the Dallas Morning News, in 2017 compared AirPods and Bragi Dash and determined that Bragi Dash fit ears more securely. • PC World’s Jon Phillips wrote that for Samsung Gear IconX, though beneficial because “wire-free means tangle-free,” battery life is still an issue, as is maneuvering controls just right. • CNet’s David Carnoy determined that Erato Apollo 7 offered sound performance that was stellar with some tracks and not so much with others. • PCMag said in its “The Best Wireless Headphones of 2017” piece it was not prepared to “strongly recommend any wire-free earphones just yet” but plans to continue testing. What it found testing AirPods is that while they do offer clear audio performance, there are limited on-board controls — meaning almost complete reliance on Siri.

If something goes on sale after you bought it, don’t kick yourself. Here are some options for getting money back.

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Shopping&Saving

Recycle subscription box packaging

Find cheap flights

Subscription boxes are sweeping the nation, offering everything from meal prep kits and beauty products to men’s razors and dog treats. Fun to open, but what do you do with all that packaging every month or week? “Many people are very concerned about this topic, but it’s not really creating waste where there wasn’t any before,” said Dennis Salazar, president and co-founder, Salazar Packaging. “Most subscription box packaging is designed to be recycled at curbside. It’s greener than retail packaging because it’s made of higher recycled content,” said Salazar, an expert in the area of sustainable packaging and branded e-commerce packaging. On the down side, many subscription boxes over-package, with a box within another box in a sort of Russian nest-ing doll approach. Here are some recycling tips from Earth911.com:

Computers, tablets and phones are now used to search and search for the very cheapest and best flights. The wealth of information is great, but where to start?

• The box: Knock it down, flatten it and recycle curbside. • Gel packs: Let thaw, then cut a corner and discard gel. Check to see if the gel is water-soluble, and if so discard down the toilet. Recycle plastic curbside. Or, keep gel packs and use as ice packs. • Jute (fiber) insulation: Remove outer plastic

Actual lifetime warranties First, a word of caution. There’s no universal legal definition of a lifetime warranty, according to Consumer Reports, so be sure to read the fine print before you buy. One company’s lifetime warranty may be good for only a year. Or a warranty may be good for the life of the product, the life of the original owner or the usual life of the product. Here are products to try with lifetime warranties: • The made-in-the-USA Polar Bottle offers an unconditional lifetime guarantee on its water bottles and caps. Bottles must be returned to the company before a replacement is shipped. • Craftsman makes power tools and storage cases, but it’s the hand tools that come with a “full warranty,” according to Craftsman.com. Instituted by Sears when the company began selling the Craftsman brand in 1927, the warranty does not include “consumable” items: A hacksaw frame is covered by the warranty, but the blade is not. • Eddie Bauer, the outdoor gear and clothing company, offers an unconditional lifetime guarantee, implemented by founder Eddie Bauer. “Every product we sell is designed to be the best and built to last. If anything you buy falls short of those standards, you’re invited to return it at any time,” according to

EddieBauer.com. • All products from Lands’ End are “Guaranteed. Period.” LandsEnd.com reads “If you’re not satisfied with any item‚ simply return it to us at any time for an exchange or refund of its purchase price.” • From elementary school to college and beyond, Jansport backpacks, bags and luggage are covered by a lifetime warranty. “If your pack ever breaks down, simply return it to our warranty center. We’ll fix it or if we can’t, we’ll replace it or refund it,” according to Jansport.com. • Osprey’s “All-mighty Guarantee” for its high-performance bags and backpacks states that “Osprey will repair any damage or defect for any reason free of charge – whether it was purchased in 1974 or yesterday. If we are unable to perform a functional repair on your pack, we will happily replace it.”

liner and recycle curbside where No. 4 plastic is accepted. Some jute is compostable at home or through a municipal composting facility. • Glass, plastic bags, plastic containers: Recycle curbside. • Problematic exceptions: Styrofoam is not biodegradable, and some insulation materials are difficult to recycle, Salazar said.

Save on moving • Generally, the most expensive part of hiring movers is the hourly labor costs. So do yourself a favor and pack your own things. • Of course, you’ll need boxes, but make sure you don’t pay for them. See if you can cut a deal with a business in town that ends up with leftover boxes: grocery stores, liquor stores, bars and restaurants. Or just cruise the alleys behind your local big box stores to scavenge any of their boxes waiting to be recycled. • Try to freecycle your packing paper, too. Old newspapers are commonly recommended, but use these only for items you don’t mind getting ink on. You could also use napkins, clothes or that big box of plastic bags you store under the sink. • Plan ahead. There’s no way you’ll be able to get everything done at the last minute; unless, of course,

you spend extra money. The more time you have, the more you can do yourself. • Get ruthless with unwanted and unneeded belongings: Sell or donate anything you can, and dispose of the rest over time in your regular garbage and recycling pickup. This way, you’ll avoid an expensive trip to the dump or paying for a junk removal service. • Vet your movers: Check out sites like Yelp.com for other customers’ reviews or the more reputable Better Business Bureau, which rates and accredits businesses on how well they deal with customer complaints. Collect at least three quotes and compare them. If there’s a company that seems the most reputable, use your less expensive quotes to negotiate their price down, if possible. • Get estimates in writing.

• Money magazine suggests: Book at least two months in advance, look at what the little guys — like Spirit and Frontier — offer first, fly during the week, and accumulate and use airline miles. • Investigating frequent flyer programs — who offers what, when and how — can result in time well spent. Airline credit card holders can rack up miles for purchases, for example. • There is a maze of ticket sites touting cheap flights. Most provide alerts and updates pointing to the newest deals. Select a few that are easy to navigate. Be aware of any hidden costs for using the site or booking through the site. Some reliable sites include Airfare Watchdog, Google Flights and Momondo, according to thepointsguy.com. • Deals site Travelzoo advises to search for tickets one at a time, grab a great price when it is found, and do not shy away from long layovers if time is not a consideration. • “I find that Twitter is the best way to learn about limited-time airfare deals,” says Patti Reddi, founder of the travel blog The Savvy

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Globetrotter. The frequent flyer recommends following the Twitter handles @TheFlightDeal, @airfarewatchdog and @SecretFlying. • You could save hundreds when traveling overseas by selecting a different airport — even if that airport is in another country. Flights from Chicago to Rome might run you $1,400, for example, while flights to Paris could cost less than $850. From Paris, round-trip flights to Rome on a budget airline like Ryanair often cost less than $100. • This strategy can be applied to domestic flights, too. Explore all viable options, factoring in the cost of parking, gas and potentially a rental car to find the most affordable fare. • Booking two one-way tickets, rather than a return flight, might land you a better deal. “I often search two one-way tickets just to make sure I am not missing a deal,” says Amanda Festa, an editor at Cheapflights.com. It also gives you more flexible route options: “Mixing and matching airlines (and booking sites and airports) sometimes pays off.”

Get paid to shop • Various sites, including Market Force, IntelliShop and Experience Exchange — to name a few — seek mystery shoppers. After approval, mystery shoppers select jobs, follow specific instructions, pretend to be an average shopper, make the purchase, share feedback and enjoy rewards. • In 2015, Kyle Taylor, founder of The Penny Hoarder, wrote about “The Best Mystery Shopping Companies to Work For” and warned to avoid firms that ask for an upfront or

monthly payment to join. Legit companies pay you, not vice-versa. • Also, look for ones backed by the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, an industry regulator. • Earn from $5 to around $25 per shopping experience. Tenacious secret shoppers pocket a few hundred to a few thousand dollars monthly. • Each company and assignment differs. Market Force has its Eyes:On app that allows mystery shoppers to view quickly the type of

shop, location, shop dates, fee and reimbursement amounts. Choose assignment and the app guides you through the process. Reports can be filled out on the app after the shopping experience. • Don’t want to go the mystery shopper route but still want extra dough from shopping? Wisebread lists eight apps to explore, including iBotta’s grocery rebates toShopKick’s points-earning. Swagbucks, BeFrugal and others have cash-back incentives for online purchases.

• First, check to see if a favorite, frequented grocer offers an app. Publix, with 100-plus locations, has My Shopping List, a tool that allows shoppers to make lists based on recipes, choose products, learn savings and even map out specific products based on store location. Others, such as Whole Foods, offers thousands of recipes, coupons, sales information and list-making tools on its free app. • Grocery experts tend to agree that it is important to 1) find a store close to home so extra money will not be spent on gas and, 2) plan ahead to cut down on impulse purchases, frantic time-wasting searches, overspending and incomplete ingredients for recipes. • U.S. News & World Report in 2016 offered a piece on grocery shopping tips that includes keeping a list of staples and a general price per staple. That way, new lists do not need to be made each time, and shoppers can determine if the price is above or below average typically spent. • Kitchn shared strategies in 2014’s “15 Money Saving Ways to Outsmart Your Supermarket,” including: scrutinize the “10 for $10” promotions and buy-in-bulk temptations to determine if there is a cost savings per item; do not assume aisle-end displays are cheaper; and compare frozen seafood to fresh (frozen is often less expensive). • In the past few years, academic research by the Kilts Center for Marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, armed with extensive data from The Nielsen Company, learned that consumers often prefer and certainly benefit from choosing store brands versus name brands. Consumer Reports determined a savings of generally 25 percent, and taste is typically comparable. • Finally, music makes all chores more enjoyable. Listening to upbeat tunes cuts down on stress and lessens overspending, advise grocery shopping gurus.

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Shopping&Saving

Pack with one bag

Camping basics

Every industry has an expert, and Doug Dyment is considered the “go-light guru” when it comes to traveling. As a speaker, executive and professor, he has lived in three countries and logged millions of air travel miles in his lifetime. Dyment conveys in “One Bag: The Art and Science of Traveling Light” that packing is a skill that can be learned.

Dan Human, or “Outbound Dan” as he is affectionately known, is a self-described master of “ultralight” camping. He completed the 2,160-mile trek that is the Appalachian Trail in four and a half months, solo, carrying all his gear on his back. In June, he shared on Sky Above Us that families planning to camp can achieve enjoyment without spending a fortune.

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• The basics of camping focus on shelter, sleep, eating, clothing and accessories. • Consider weather conditions and temperature in the camp area before investing in essentials. • For shelter a tent, ground cloth and tarp are necessary. For sleeping: bags and pads. • Fill your pillow’s case with needed clothes so that extra baggage is unnecessary. • Bring a gas-canister cookstove and basic pots, pans and utensils, many of which can be found at local yard and garage sales. • Plan meals with ingredients that can be used for a few different items, offers activekids.com: One example is to cook ground beef or turkey to dress up for tacos one night and sloppy joes another. • Some important accessories are a lantern, flashlight or headlight, matches, soap, a towel, a hanging net bag for cookware and utensils to dry after washing, a utility knife, first-aid kit, small hand broom (for sweeping out the tent), insect repellent and sunscreen. If coffee is desired, bring a portable French press and boil water on the cook stove. • For families camping infrequently, Human suggests borrowing gear from a friend, purchasing used gear, or perusing deals on discount equipment sites such as Sierra Trading Post, The Clymb or Steep and Cheap. • Read reviews on necessary products, such as the tent, to make sure it is sturdy and moisture-resistant. • Campground fees can range widely depending on site and method (tent, camper or RV). Consider “primitive” spots that are free in many state forests. Most include the site, a fire pit and some sort of outhouse. • Camp sites are typically near a water source (pond or stream) or provide running water. Some sort of portable filtration system is important if there’s no running water, or you’ll need to haul in a few gallons for cooking, drinking and washing up. • Using your own gear? Store it in a few large plastic containers or Army bags so that it is easy to grab for the next trip. • Make a list of what else is needed after each family camping outing to be even better prepared in the future.

• Essential is finding the right carry-on bag – one that is durable, of approved size and weight, and equipped with wheels. • Travel-made-simple.com offers a chart indicating each airline’s size and weight restrictions for carry-ons. Before entering the airport, make sure bags meet requirements. • Also, take a shoulder bag or sling purse for housing money, tickets, passport, pain reliever, hand sanitizer, lip balm and other essentials you’ll need during your trip. • Make a packing list and check it thrice. Dyment offers a list at onebag. com as an example only; each traveler will have specific needs. Only include

Be more productive at work • No. 1, according to Inc.com, is to establish a structured schedule and an organized space. Determine regular routines, meetings, deadlines — get those on the schedule first, then fill in with other appointments and tasks, leaving room in between so that scurrying is not necessary. Set up the office so everything has a “proper place”: Too much time is wasted looking for important papers or even a pen. • Delegate: Communicate tasks clearly so helpers can accurately assist in achieving success. • Create to-do lists: Put urgent tasks at the top and lesser items at bottom. Check off when done. • Disconnect: Don’t get sucked into social media while working. • One task at a time: Multitasking can actually be a time-stealer. • Check and prioritize emails. Make phone calls.

Write reports. Or, focus on all aspects of one project at one time. But avoid, if possible, darting from one thing to another without achieving completion. • Take a moment: Throughout the day, focus on deep breathing, meditate, walk outside, stretch, drink a cup of tea. • Still wasting time? Keep a log. For a week, write down start and end times for tasks. That 45-minute weekly call with Bob in sales that is mostly polite chit-chat might be eliminated and replaced with a bullet-point email. • Finally, Fortune maintains that minding menial tasks prior to work can mean the difference between a crazed day and a calm day. Iron and lay out clothes, set the coffee maker, determine breakfast and lunch, and charge your phone and laptop the night before.

what is absolutely necessary. • Caroline Durand, French native and world traveler currently working in the U.S., says to plan outfits around a pair or two of jeans. One pair can be worn on the plane. Consider clothing that can be dressed up or down with, for example, a scarf. • Plan to wash some clothing in a sink with tiny detergent sheets. • Durand also uses vacuum-compression bags to fit more in luggage. • Stuff as much as possible into shoes: toiletries, jewelry, socks and underwear. Purchase travel-size toiletries. • Instead of taking heavy books, download reading materials onto an e-reader, tablet or laptop.

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Make the most of meetings

Avoid ticket scams

Whether it is a weekly staff powwow or an annual planning session, meetings are generally viewed with disdain. Eric J. McNulty teaches ways to make meetings palatable. He is director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative. In May he wrote in a piece titled “How to Craft Meetings People Love (Really)”: “At their worst, meetings are like short prison sentences that have you counting the minutes until your release.” McNulty explains there are key questions participants should ask:

USA.gov lists ticket tampering as one of the most common scams reported to the government. Imagine saving up for expensive Broadway tickets for the family only to learn — when arriving at the box office — that tickets are nonexistent or that someone else was sold the real ones. USA.gov, MetLife and others offer these helpful considerations:

• What is the desired outcome of the meeting? • What issues/decisions should I come prepared to address? • What role(s) will I have? (listener, adviser, collaborator, brainstormer, decision maker) • What is in it for me? “Answering those questions will help the convener determine if a meeting is the right venue and what form it should take,” he says. FREEPIK.COM

• Be wary of online classified ads selling tickets. • Research and verify everything: website, seats, sellers’ information, date and time of show. Fraudulent sites might use barcodes and logos that look real or resemble those of reputable companies. • Run the ticket supplier’s name or the company into a search engine; look for anything that smacks of fraud, bad business or poor reviews. • Purchase from credible, well-known ticket sellers that provide a guarantee. Check with the Better Business Bureau, bbb.org, and National Association of Ticket Brokers, natb.org. • Purchase with a credit card so

potential issues can be disputedwith a credit card company. • Avoid giving out too muchinformation if not certain aboutlegitimacy; sometimes a ticket scam leads to identity theft. • If there is an issue, immediately report the scammer to your state’s Consumer Protection Office. Iovation, a global fraud prevention network, will sometimes post warnings when popular events are upcoming. It warns that e-tickets are not available for certain events, such as the Super Bowl. • Finally, use common sense; if it all seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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Shopping&Saving

Don’t waste money on junk food

Cake-decorating pro tips Well-meaning souls who have toiled over decorating a cake for a special occasion only to present messy messages, clumped frosting or myriad other disaster scenarios may never fully recover. Pros have the expertise and tools to achieve creative cakes. Here they share some pointers for do-it-yourself decorating. • Start with these basics cake board or cake turntable; pastry bag with round, leaf, petal and star piping tips; cake spatula or icing spatula; toothpicks; icing smoother. • Before trying to frost cake layers, Kitchn advises spreading a thin layer of frosting around layers and then setting the layers in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. This technique is referred to as “crumb coat” and sets the cake’s crumbs so they do not interfere with the final frosting process. • Then, place the first cake layer on the board or turntable; put a large dollop of frosting in the middle and spread out evenly on top. Add the other layer or layers and do the same to each. • To frost the sides, TheKitchn.com teaches to use the center of the spatula instead of the tip to maneuver frosting more evenly. An icing smoother held against the side while the cake is turned will give a finished appearance. • Use the toothpick to write a message or draw designs. Trace over the grooves with piped frosting. Practice with tips first on a piece of wax paper to learn which tips provide which effects. • Or, instead of piped frosting decorations, crush cookies or hard candies and stick to the sides or sprinkle on top. Arrange berries around the top edge or create a rosette look with sliced strawberries. Use a grater to shave some white or dark chocolate, or both, and sprinkle on top. Be creative! • Completed, fruit-filled or -adorned cakes should be refrigerated. Other cakes will stay fresh in a cake dome for about two days, or insert a few toothpicks on top and tent plastic wrap over it.

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In the quest to shop healthfully, nearly half of parents polled admit it is difficult to tell which foods are actually good for them, according to a University of Michigan study. Phrases such as “all-natural,” “low-fat,” “organic” and “sugar-free” are used inconsistently on food labels and packaging, leading to confusion. Two experts offer tips to approach grocery shopping in the healthiest way. • “The most important advice to become a healthy grocery shopper is to look at the ingredients list — the fewer ingredients, the better. The more ingredients you can’t pronounce on the label, the more you should avoid those foods,” said Kristin Kirkpatrick, registered dietitian and manager of Wellness Nutrition Services at Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute. • Avoid getting sucked into front-of-package claims, and make sure there is no sugar — or corn syrup, dextrose, cane sweetener or fructose — in the first five ingredients. • “Buy organic when you can, and shop what’s on sale and in season,” said Amy Smith, a family medicine physician at Cambridge Health Alliance, a health-care provider in Cambridge, Somerville and Boston’s MetroNorth communities, Massachusetts. “Get a general idea of what you want to make and load your cart up with fresh fruits and vegetables.” Here is a suggested grocery list: BREADS/BAKERY • Key words are “100 percent whole grain” and “sprouted grains” • “Multigrain” does not always mean “whole grain” • Aim for at least 3 grams of fiber per serving Meat • Meat in moderation • Grass-fed beef, wild options like bison and venison, and antibiotic- and hormone-free poultry, turkey PASTA AND RICE • 100 percent whole-grain or bean-based pastas are best (black bean, edamame or chickpea pasta) • Brown and wild rice are healthier options than white rice • Riced vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower are good single-ingredient options that have no carbs and are nutrient-dense CEREAL OR CEREAL BARS • Avoid cereal that’s not 100 percent whole grain and has sugar in the first five

Find deals at garage sales • Popular Mechanics informs in its “20 Tips for Shopping a Yard Sale” to look at coffee shop bulletin boards, local papers, and apps such as Garage Sale Rover or Yard Sale Treasure Map to determine which sales to hit. Driving around aimlessly hoping to see a sign on a Saturday will only deplete in gas the savings expected from bargains. • Also, bring cash. Most sellers will not have a mobile credit card reader. • Since the yard sale host’s goal is to get rid of stuff, negotiate to bundle a few items and round up to a nearest $10 or $20, and both parties can part satisfied with the transaction. • Only purchase necessities, or items that are refurbishable for resale or gifting. It might be a deal to offer $20 for that box of 30 tools

selling for $1 each, but if most will just sit in a box in a garage corner, it is best to just choose which tools are must-haves. • In July’s Family Circle, HGTV stylist Emily Henderson shared this advice: “Look high and low. My eyes constantly dart up and down. Scan walls and under tables.” • She looks for creative ways to use what may seem like throw-away items. An old shutter, if cleaned and painted, can be hung sideways and photographs tucked into the slats. Distressed old doors, paired side-by-side, serve as a headboard. Old finds, like a scale or an egg basket, can hold fruit in a kitchen. • Finally, bring bags and a vehicle with room to haul treasures home. The last thing a seller wants is to have to hold stuff for a buyer.

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ingredients • The better cereals are 100 percent whole grain and high in fiber (around 5 grams per serving) CONDIMENTS OR SAUCES • Olive oil and vinegars are better than ranch or Italian dressings because they have fewer ingredients and less sugar and additives CANNED FOODS • Garbanzo beans or any bean, tomato, lentils and coconut milk (as a dairy substitute) • Read the label to avoid preservatives or additives that could increase sodium or sugar content FROZEN FOODS • Healthy essentials are vegetables, riced vegetables, fruit and grilled chicken breast • Avoid frozen meals with high sodium content, and breaded or fried snacks like pizza rolls, bagel bites and mozzarella sticks DAIRY, CHEESE, EGGS • Locally farmed eggs or certified humane or animal-welfare approved • Avoid pre-shredded or sliced cheeses because of preservatives added to prevent caking; look for whole packaged chunks of cheese • Plain greek yogurt with minimum to no added sugar PRODUCE • Go for color – choose a variety • Choose organic options for strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, pears, cherries, grapes, celery, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes and hot peppers DRINKS • Drink water (but you don’t have to buy it) • Kombucha, unsweetened tea, coconut water SNACKS • Nuts and seeds like almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds, kale chips, snack- sized bags of popcorn, fruit like a banana or peach, dried chickpeas, nut butters ADD FLAVOR • Herbs and juices like lemon or lime and highquality balsamic and herbed oils

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Make the most of your clothing buck A keen eye for a wardrobe bargain requires strategies beyond just perusing sales. Real Simple offers these:

Before deciding when and where to shop for school supplies, Money Crashers reminds parents to first do a closet, desk and bookshelf sweep to inventory unused or slightly used supplies and clothing items. Clothes that still fit can be spruced up by being paired with something new, while out-grown clothing can be handed down to another child. • Spend the summer perusing yard sales for nearly-new backpacks, lunch boxes, school supplies and clothing. Also pop into dollar stores, office supply houses and discount retailers and note items needed on back-to-school lists. • Do the math and consider if buying in bulk is the way to go. Otherwise, tuck away the price information, check regularly, and strike if discounts deepen or a discovered coupon makes the purchase even more attractive. • Find out if a student’s ID earns a better deal. • There is not a specific sweet-spot timeframe for finding back-to-school deals. Great Schools suggests an all-summer awareness of promotions and to avoid a last-minute rush, as that is when retailers may raise prices because they know shoppers are vulnerable. • Finally, The Federation of Tax Administrators at taxadmin.org offers a list of sales tax holiday dates by state.

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Saving on school supplies

• Wait. Keep an eye on items and snatch them up when prices drop to satisfactory lows. • Do the math. Items might cost less as time goes by than they do during back-to-school or Labor Day sales, for example. • Look for easy-care labels. Getting a pair of pants for a steal is reason for celebration — until you see that Dry Clean Only label. Dry cleaning costs add up fast and often override any discounts achieved. • Budget more for basics, such as a blazer, a suit or a white button-down shirt. Such pieces need to stand the test of time, so look for classic instead of trendy. • Consider other avenues for shopping besides

traditional department stores and boutiques. Consignment, thrift and not-for-profit stores provide gently used and sometimes new clothing. Or, spend no money at all by hosting a clothing swap with friends. • There are also apps such as RetailMeNot or TheCouponsApp that give users information on sales at major retailers and/or bar-coded coupons to scan from a phone at the register. • Finally, Time magazine suggested in a 2016 Money piece, “31 Ways to Save Hundreds on Clothes Shopping”: Divide the price of the item by the total number of times the item will likely be worn. Still worth the price? Go for it!

What to do with leftover buns Everyone seems to have rolls leftover when we make hamburgers and hot dogs. What can you do? • Hamburger and hot dog buns from major bread bakeries typically come in packs of eight. However at the in-store bakery at most grocery chains, customers can usually buy only as many rolls as they want. The rolls in the bakery may come packaged in sets of eight, but if you ask at the counter, most stores will sell you half a package or even an odd number. • Some bakeries offer bins of rolls sold in bulk where shoppers can select only what they need. You might pay as much for three or four rolls from the bakery as you do for a package of eight in the bread aisle, but you will eliminate the waste. • French toast casserole and breakfast strata use up aging bread and rolls. • If you know you are having

hamburgers one day, consider another sandwich meal later in the week to use the remaining rolls. Tuna melts, for example, taste great when made open-face on hamburger rolls. Or use them for sandwiches in lunches the following day. • Leftover rolls make fine garlic toast; just butter and top with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese, then pop in the broiler for a minute or so to toast. • Toast and grate the rolls for homemade bread crumbs, or cube them and toast them for homemade croutons for salad or soup. • You also could consider sharing a pack of rolls with a friend, family member or neighbor. • When all else fails, the birds in the backyard typically appreciate the treat. PHOTOS: WIKIPEDIA.COM

Family road trip tips To get the most out of your next family road trip, a travel blogger and a travel website founder shared some tips: • “Don’t get in the car and drive day after day,” said Elizabeth Young, publisher/editor of TravelForKids. com. “A rule of thumb that works well for us planning an itinerary: It’s OK to do one or two days of long drives to get to a destination, but that’s the limit.” • “If traveling with more than one adult, it works best if one grown-up can join the children in the backseat for at least a portion of the trip. Look at your time on the road as an opportunity to spend some quality time playing travel games and working on simple crafts together,” said Colleen Lanin,

founder and editor-in-chief of TravelMamas.com. • “Keep kids content on the road with plenty of snacks. Pack healthy goodies in separate containers, and slowly dole them out,” said Lanin. • “Travel pillows are perfect to bring, not so bulky as regular-size pillows. Also, small fleece blankets are great — they rinse out easily and dry quickly,” Young said. • “Bring along audiobooks to keep everyone entertained on the road. Listening to a story together can turn a boring stretch of highway into an adventure in an imaginary land,” Lanin said.

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Dress up cheap wine California-based Trader Joe’s is recognized for low wine prices. “Two Buck Chuck” is a nickname for its $1.99 Charles Shaw wine. But are cheap wines any good? And, if not, can they be dressed up? Reverse Wine Snob’s motto is “thumbing your nose at bottles over $20.” The site asserts that even though you-get-what-youpay-for is evident in some of Trader Joe’s wines, there are gems — especially with “Trader Joe’s Exclusives” wines. Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling, Pancake Cellars, Grifone Primitivo and La Finca are ones consistently named by foodie sites. Prices are typically under $7. In May, Business Insider reported reasons why some wines are so cheap. On the list: Making in large quantities keeps wine prices

The best times to buy a car It might be tempting to run out and buy a new car whenever the whim strikes, but timing your purchase could save you some money. • Historically, the winter months see greater discounts as dealers try to lure people out into the cold. Conventional wisdom would suggest that people are so busy with the holidays that they’re not shopping for cars, but instead, foot traffic increases steadily throughout the year, to a crescendo in December. Then, immediately afterward, it drops off a cliff. • Walk through the doors late in the month and you may find a salesman eager to hit his monthly quota and a sales manager just as ready to cut you a deal. Even better, walk in at the end of

the quarter or the end of the year. • They’ll be especially happy to move a car off the lot if it’s been sitting awhile. Take a look at the on-hand inventory and see if there’s a car right there that can be sold rather than having one shipped from another dealer. • The vast majority of consumers are walking through the door at or near lunchtime. Visiting a dealership just after opening or later in the evening may allow you more opportunity to ask questions, understand your options and even get a better deal.

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Avoid these car-buying mistakes Make sure you don’t fall prey to these common car-buying mistakes: • Not researching your current car’s value: Dealers are going to want to give you as little as possible for your car, so be ready to argue up its value if you feel like you’re not getting a fair trade. • Buying unnecessary extras: Dealers always want to move what’s sitting on their lot, so they’ll steer you toward the models and trims they most want to sell. These packages can add thousands to the final price of your car. • Skipping the test drive: Cars that look good on paper aren’t always what you expect when you get behind the wheel. Check out the passenger seat and spend a little time riding in the back seat, especially if you have a family that’s going to use all that space. Make sure car seats

fit for little ones. • Not considering modern safety features: Studies have shown that new safety features like autonomous emergency braking really do reduce accidents and injuries. Research the latest so you know what they do, and ask questions about what is available on your new car before you decide what to buy. Whenever possible, get a demonstration of how things work. • Focusing on the monthly payment: This can lead to you paying more than you otherwise would for your new car. Instead, focus on the overall cost of the car, the value of your trade-in and your financing terms. It’s a multi-part package that gets you the best overall deal.

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down. For advice on what to buy, check out foodandwine.com, which shares extensive taste-testing on everything from boxed to new to Internet-deal wines. Opened wine that just does not do it for the taste buds can be dressed up. Here are some ways, offers Spoon University: • Find a sangria recipe; fresh seasonal fruit, a little brandy and voilá! • Spritzers are refreshing; experiment or find a recipe — a little cheap wine, splash of fruit juice, club soda and maybe a shot of vodka. • Perk up fruit punch (just not at a child’s birthday party). • Mull red wine and spices in a Crock-Pot for a warm variation when weather cools.

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Humidifiers are a fantastic tool when you’ve got a cold or the flu, but if you’ve ever tried to shop for one, you probably became quickly overwhelmed. Humidifiers, which blow water vapor or steam into the air, increase the moisture levels in a room and help combat stuffy noses, sore throats and dry skin, according to the Mayo Clinic. There are several types, and all serve different purposes: • Warm mist humidifier: This heats water until it boils and then emits steam. Some of these include mineral filters that trap water, and these need to be changed occasionally, adding an additional cost to consider. Many pediatricians caution against warm mist humidifiers for children, as they can be a burn risk, according to Consumer Reports.

• There are three kinds of humidifiers in the cool mist category: evaporative, ultrasonic and impeller. Evaporative humidifiers use a fan and blow air over a wet wick, and you’ll have to occasionally replace the wick for about $10. Ultrasonic humidifiers use a vibrating nebulizer to emit the water, and impeller humidifiers use a rotating disk.

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Fall asleep faster • Breathe deeply: If your head hits the pillow but your mind is racing or filled with ideas, deep-breathing exercises can help quiet it, said Susan Ginsberg, founder/owner, Stop and Breathe Corporate Wellness Services, Scottsdale, Arizona. “To breathe correctly, breathe deeply so the air flows into your belly, not your upper chest.” It can be helpful to place your hands on your belly and imagine you’re inflating a balloon. Next, focus on exhaling for twice as long as you inhaled. “Double exhalation promotes a deep relaxed state,” Ginsberg said. Another tip, based on an ancient yoga technique, is eight-16-32 breathing: Lay on your back and take eight deep breaths. Turn

on your right side and take 16 breaths, then switch to your left side and take 32 breaths. • Exercise daily, but not too close to bedtime: “Exercise strengthens our circadian rhythms by increasing our body temperature. It also causes a protein, brain–derived neurotrophic factor, to increase significantly. When increased it improves mood, decreases anxiety and promotes sleep,” said Dr. Robert S. Rosenberg, board certified sleep medicine physician and author of “The Doctor’s Guide to Sleep Solutions for Stress & Anxiety.” • Listen to soothing music: A recent study showed that listening to soothing music shortened the amount of time spent awake after getting into bed, Rosenberg said.

• Nose whistling: This could mean that you have excess mucus lining your nasal passages. A decongestant could help if you’ve got a cold. An antihistamine would work for allergies. But if you bumped your nose, the whistling could indicate a cartilage tear, so you may need to see a doctor. • Ear whooshing: This is the sound of blood moving through your carotid artery and jugular veins, which are behind your ears. But if you hear it all day and night, you might have allergies or an infection. A decongestant or antibiotic can help. It could also mean you have a blood vessel blockage or other issue that your doctor should detect. • Stomach rumbling: It’s the sound of air and fluid as it moves through your digestive tract, often experienced when you have an empty stomach. But if it’s accompanied by cramping, nausea or pain, it could mean you have a partial bowel obstruction, according to Healthline. • Knee cracking: There’s actually a term for this: crepitus, which means “joint noise.” When your knees crack, it results from a change in joint pressure, which lets carbon dioxide move out of your joint fluid to form gas bubbles in your joint. It makes a small cavity in your joint, and when it closes quickly, it pops, and you hear the noise. But if it’s painful, it could mean that your kneecap is rubbing unevenly on the front of your thigh bone, and you may need surgery in a worstcase scenario, says Healthline.

Trouble sleeping? Try this You have to be awake in six hours, and you are tossing and turning, no closer to falling asleep than you were an hour ago. We’ve got a few tricks. • Stop stressing. Everything seems worse in the middle of the night, especially that panicky feeling that the following day will be a disaster because you won’t be able to sleep. The Ohio Sleep Medicine Institute suggests that you shouldn’t catastrophize when you’re having trouble sleeping, and realize that you’ll have better sleep the following night. • According to the American Sleep Association, you shouldn’t stay in bed awake for more than five to 10 minutes. If you’re still awake, get out of bed and sit in a chair in the dark sans TV or internet, which will stimulate you. You can turn on a soft light and read until you get sleepy, and then return to bed. If it happens again, continue getting up.

• Avoid napping during the day and get up at your correct time, and your sleep cycle should normalize in a few days. • Don’t exercise after 2 p.m. Exercise promotes continuous sleep, but the endorphins it creates can also interfere with sleep, according to the ASA. • Make your bedroom comfortable. Warmer may be cozier, but cooler is better for falling asleep, the ASA says. The TV and other noise-makers should be off, though background white noise is good. Pets should be outside the room if they wake you, and bright lights should be off, the ASA says. The clock should be hidden, and you should not look at it at any point in the night, as this could make you nervous, leading to insomnia.

Flavor your water naturally There are endless suggestions and combinations for infusion experimentation; here are some from fitness site Daily Burn: • Lemon with a sprig of lavender and a few drops of raw agave nectar • Grapefruit and lemon combined with mint and a few slices of cucumber • Watermelon with a cutting of basil • Blueberries with slices of orange • Apples, cinnamon, plums and pears The best thing about infusion water is that water can be added many times to your fruit mix to stretch out the flavors, and when the water is gone a healthy snack remains.

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What your body noises are trying to tell you

Sick? Try a humidifier

Healthy soda alternatives Kick your soda habit with these replacements:

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• Experiment by mixing sparkling or carbonated water and fruit, herbs and roots, or try alreadypackaged products such as Sparkling Bitters, LaCroix and Tickle Water, which have no added sugar or chemicals but offer a variety of refreshing flavors. • There are gut balms such as LIVE Sparkling Drinking Vinegar, a combination of sparkling water, whole fruit juice concentrate, apple cider and coconut vinegars, AMAZON.COM and Stevia. • Zevia Energy and Bai Bubbles have caffeine as well as erythritol, which is a sweetener not as caloric as high fructose corn syrup. • GT’s Enlightened Organic Raw Kombucha

drinks are recommended by Rodale’s Organic Life because of taste and the fact that they aid digestion. The natural fizziness is due to fermentation of the tea with a probiotic culture. Flavors range from tart to fruity. • Naturally flavored Steaz Sparkling Green Tea also provides a caffeine fix and has the added benefits of antioxidants and Vitamin B12 to enhance energy levels, among other positives. • For healthy caffeineladen bubblies, try this easy recipe: sparking water, a splash of natural fruit juice or a squeeze of lemon, and a packet or teaspoon of matcha tea, loaded with nutrients and caffeine.

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How to choose sunscreen

Kids’ social media use Here are some general recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Learn the “activity” of main ingredients. For example, avobenzone absorbs harmful rays while zinc oxide and titanium dioxide reflect rays. Some chemical ingredients, such as oxybenzone, have caused skin irritations and hormone issues for some, according to a report by thegreenmama.com. • Learn acronyms: SPF is sun protection factor; UVA is ultraviolet A, the rays that contribute to tanning and skin aging; UVB is ultraviolet B, which contributes to sunburn. Both contribute to skin cancer. • An SPF of 30 essentially means that sunbathers can maintain exposure to the sun for 30 times longer than if wearing no protection. UVA rays penetrate deeper than UVB rays. The term “broad spectrum” conveys protection against both UVA and UVB rays. • Water- and/or sweat-resistant? These products will last

media and on the types of media, and make sure media use does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health. • Designate media-free times together, such as dinner or driving, as well as media-free locations at home, such as bedrooms. • Have ongoing communication about online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline. To create your own Family Media Plan, visit www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.aspx#home

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• Children younger than 18 months shouldn’t use media, except for videochatting. • Children 18-24 months should only use media that are appropriate for their age group and supervised by parents and caregivers. Some good places to start include Common Sense Media, PBS Kids and Sesame Workshop. • Children 2-5 years should have an hour or less of high-quality screen time a day that is educational and promotes good social skills. • For children 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using

approximately 40 more minutes after moisture contact. • There is also the question of lotion or spray. Sprays are convenient, yet often pricier and not as long-lasting or effective as lotions. However, lotions can be the bane of a child’s existence, and some leave a pasty white film. • Some sunscreens, like Trader Joe’s Nourish Spray Sunscreen SPF 50, do double duty: protecting and “nourishing” with aloe and vitamin E. Consumer Reports, in fact, found this brand to be one of the better sprays, while it gave high marks to a few lotions, including Coppertone Waterbabies SPF 50 and Equate Ultra Protection SPF 50 — Walmart’s store brand. • No sunscreen, no matter the ingredients, shields 100 percent of damaging rays. Test what works best for particular skin types and sensitivity.

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Health benefits of avocados

Snack with a purpose Intentional snacking requires a person to think rationally about what they’re putting in their body, said registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer, author of “Eat Your Way to Happiness.” The problem is that it’s so easy to eat poorly. While it can be tempting to reach for a candy bar or bag of chips, a quick sugar rush and empty calories will leave you groggier than before, Somer said. Intentional snacking is the opposite of mindless eating, or simply reaching for something to eat because you’re bored. To be a better snacker, make it easier and more convenient with a little planning:

• Take the time to cut up a platter of fruit or vegetables and put it front and center where you and the kids can see it, Somer said. • Cut extra so you’ll have a healthy snack for later. • Instead of a traditional treat, make your snacks more satisfying and well-rounded. Include fruit and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and some sort of protein. Your mini-meal can include a handful of nuts, lowfat cheese or yogurt, or peanut butter spread on apple slices or celery sticks. • Heading out of the house? Bring your snacks in your pocket, purse or backpack. You won’t reach for a candy bar in desperation

later in the day. • While they may be packaged to appeal to healthy eaters, “90 percent of energy bars are glorified candy bars” filled with calories, fat and sugar, Somer said. Look for a better bar without highly processed ingredients. Somer suggests a Kind bar paired with a banana or piece of fruit. • Sugary sodas, juices and sports drinks are high in calories and low in nutrition. Instead, make a smoothie with fresh fruit and low-fat yogurt. “Listen to your body and snack only when you’re hungry, not simply because there’s a candy jar at the bank or someone offers you a muffin,” Somer said.

Technically a fruit and not a vegetable, this leathery-on-the-outside and brilliant soft green-on-the-inside single-seeded berry is multipurpose in the culinary world. Plus, avocados pack a healthy punch, with monounsaturated fat (the “good fat”), fiber, potassium, vitamins B, E and K, and folate. Nutritionists sing their praises because they are linked to the reduction of cardiovascular disease. Avocados are also relatively low in calories — about 109 in one half. And even though avocados are lumped into the fruit category, they are very low in sugar — only 0.5 grams in one half. Epicurious’ “24 Ways to Eat an Avocado” includes making avocado fries, grilling slices, mixing chunks into egg dishes, substituting

mashed avocado for mayonnaise in chicken salad, and adding slivers to a BLT to create a BLAT. Americans are learning what other cultures have known: that blended, ripe avocados result in creamy sauces — without requiring high-calorie butters, milk or actual cream. Use a food processor to mix an avocado with some basil, garlic, a little salt and some plain Greek yogurt, and a sauce is created to top pasta, chicken and fish, or as a spread for sandwiches. Most surprising are the dessert recipes that call for avocados. Avocado brownies are light and fluffy — a chocolate treat with health benefits. Another Epicurious suggestion is a chocolate mousse with avocado as a main ingredient. Dietitians tout lower BMIs and less belly fat for those who regularly eat this distinct fruit.

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The FDA’s recommendation for caffeine consumed daily is no more than 400 milligrams: A grande cup of Starbucks coffee may contain 300 or so milligrams. In comparison, a can of Pepsi or an 8-ounce cup of matcha tea has about 70 milligrams. While coffee is sipped over a period of time, energy drinks are often chugged, resulting in a caffeine surge that can wreak havoc on the heart. CBS News medical contributor Dr. David Agus reported in 2016 that 20,000 people visit emergency rooms annually because of complications from ingredients in energy drinks. Some of the most obvious side effects of too much caffeine are heart palpitations, tremors, agitation, chest pains, dizziness and respiratory distress. The Mayo Clinic reminds that each person reacts differently to caffeine and should take sensitivity under consideration when determining an amount to consume. Water will help flush caffeine from the body. Herbs and additives in energy drinks that might seem healthy and natural can actually exacerbate problems. The Mayo Clinic cautions to check into benefits and drawbacks of ingredients like guarana, ginseng and taurine before consuming. And caffeine can be found in products besides the obvious — candy bars, medications and even some brands of breakfast foods are laced with caffeine.

Make a home first-aid kit According to the American Red Cross, you should keep a first-aid kit in your home and in your car, and you should know where the first-aid kit is located at work. Inside the kits, you should keep personal items such as medications and emergency phone numbers. The kit container should be durable, easy to carry, easy to open and lightweight with a handle. A plastic tackle box or an art supply container usually works well, according to KidsHealth. Keep the kit out of reach for young children but accessible to adults. A family of four should keep the following in their kit to be prepared for anything, according to the Red Cross: • 2 absorbent compresses • 25 bandages ofdifferent sizes • 1 roll of cloth tape • 5 antibiotic ointment packages • 5 antiseptic wipe packets • 2 packets of aspirin • 1 blanket or space/thermal blanket • 1 breathing barrier • 1 instant cold compress • 2 pairs ofnon-latex gloves

• 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets • Scissors • 2 roller bandages • 10 gauze pads • Oralthermometer • 2 triangular bandages • Tweezers • First aid instruction booklet You should checkthe expiration dates on and replace used or out-of-date items monthly.

Avoid hotel germs

Avoid summer brain drain

Jenni C. Vega, M.Ed., upper-school principal at Northlake Christian School in Covington, Louisiana, believes that students should pour in knowledge during summer months to keep the brain strong and stimulated. Some ideas:

• Read, of course. Whatever is on the school’s reading list, but books for fun as well. A summer book club or the library incentive program are motivators. • Spend allotted time each week doing math games. Some sites for this are ALEKS, Reflex Math, Tenmarks, Hooda Math, Sheppard Software and CoolMathGames.com. • Keep a journal. JournalBuddies.com has fun, free prompts to spark creativity. • Volunteer, go on a mission trip, learn about a new culture or aspect of your community. • Go on an informational scavenger hunt at parks or places visited during vacations. Some parks and sites offer badges or other freebies when hunts are completed. • Use a free book-making site, such as bookemon.com, to create original fiction, photo books with captions or vacation memory books that can be self-published privately or publicly. Greatschools.org suggests gathering friends, family or neighbors to write scripts that result in a play. Plus, the site

Escapehere.com offers tips on making hotel stays as germ-, dirt- and bug-free as possible: • Check out reviews before booking — search hotel name with the word “clean.” • Do a five-minute visual room check for bedbugs, hair, mildew, dust, fingerprints, etc. • Use only individually wrapped drinking glasses, or wash glasses yourself. • Bedbugs will look like little spots of black pepper. Sometimes they hide in the corners and seams of mattresses. Look for tiny blood stains as well — another telltale sign of these insects. • Turn down the comforter and don’t come in contact with it. • Wipe down handles, faucets and the

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What is ‘too much’ caffeine?

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remote with disinfectant wipes. • Wash hands with soap after touching items in the room. • Obvious signs of an unclean hotel room are stains as well as opened soaps. • It is a good idea to bring flip-flops or slippers to wear around the room so feet do not have to touch the floor, because germs can be carried into the bedding. • And, do not just keep feet off the ground, but luggage as well. Put all bags on a luggage stand or dresser or in a closet. Further, stick dirty clothing directly into a plastic bag. ADREANNA MOYA/FLICKR

points to zoos, planetariums, botanical gardens and science museums as offering summertime educational engagement activities. “High school students can even complete an online course in an area of interest through resources like Coursera, Khan Academy (and) iTunes U,” says Vega. “Upcoming seniors should complete a college admissions essay to be edited throughout the school year.”

Does running ruin your knees? Should avid and amateur runners be concerned about the potential risk of ruining knees? Findings from Osteoarthritis Initiative, a nationwide study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, indicate that frequent runners actually have less knee pain than occasional runners. Apparently, the activity helps condition the knee joints because synovial fluid generated keeps the area lubricated. South Carolina-based orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Dr. David Geier agrees, offering that even though some runners may experience a condition called osteophytes — bone spurs — the overall health benefit to running and general physical activity is that arthritis of the knees is often avoided. Of course, because every body type is different, some runners are at greater risk of knee damage than

others. Physicians point to factors such as weight, limited training and stretching, age, genetics, excessive running, shoes, running surface and technique as all contributing factors to strained knees and common issues such as patellar tendonitis — injury to the tissue connecting the kneecap to the shin bone. According to Shape magazine, there are stretches that are good for knee maintenance. One is, in a standing position, put feet together, then lift and and hold with both hands one foot at a time behind you for 30 seconds; the heel should be close to the buttocks. If running is out of the question because it could exacerbate a former knee injury or other preexisting condition, substitute with non-impact activities such as swimming and biking. Or, a knee brace may work.

Does Kinesio tape work? From high school sports stars to weekend warriors to professionals, athletes are binding themselves in Kinesio tape to relieve pain, improve blood flow and support injured muscles. Does it actually work? People like Kinesio tape because it’s “lightweight and waterresistant, so you can wear it for numerous days while continuing to shower or exercise. Because it is elastic, it does not limit or constrict range of motion. It also works,” said Tracy Nunn, physical therapist in the orthopaedic rehabilitation program at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The tape’s use isn’t limited to sports injuries. Kinesio taping can “quiet” muscles that are in

spasm or stimulate muscles that are weak, said Evan Beckman, a physical therapist at Wake Forest Baptist. The tape also is employed after knee and shoulder surgery to control swelling and promote muscle function. Similarly, Nunn said, she has used Kinesio taping on patients who are rehabilitating from stroke because it can help restore muscle function, and on people who have suffered neck injuries because it can help relax the affected neck and shoulder muscles. While the effectiveness of Kinesio tape has not been proven in clinical studies, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that it generates positive results — even if those results are only in the minds of those who have been taped.

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Keep your fitness motivation Many are gung-ho to shed pounds as a New Year’s resolution. But by the time summer rolls around, motivation has waned. Or, fitness fanatics experience interruptions to their routine because of summer plans. Len Kravitz, Ph.D., an author, educator and exercise scientist at the University of New Mexico, says at least 50 percent of people who begin an exercise regimen end up quitting it within six months. A summer fitness slump can be avoided, he writes, by building in fitness to a daily routine so it becomes as essential as eating and sleeping. • If planning to vacation, research hiking opportunities and nearby parks and beaches, or take advantage of hotel fitness facilities. Consider following plans on a fitness app or watching YouTube workout videos on a tablet. • Ben Waller, a personal trainer for Blink Fitness in New York City, suggests a summer vacation exercise program of 10- to 20-minute workouts including high-intensity body weight movements such as squats, push-ups, burpees and sit-ups, each day.

Stay hydrated Dehydration is a real and serious issue. Water is actually more important than food for survival. • The general rule to avoid dehydration is to consume at least 64 ounces of water — a half-gallon, or the ol’ eight glasses a day — consistently throughout the day, rather than gulping large amounts when thirsty. In fact, too much too fast can quickly dilute sodium in the blood and cause hyponatremia, accompanied by symptoms including headache and dizziness. • When especially thirsty, it is best to drink water or a product that restores body fluids, electrolytes and salt balance, according to John Hopkins Medicine. • Requirements for water intake increase, of course, when excessively perspiring due to outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and running, or because of gym workouts and other sports. • Often thirst is not felt during exercise; sometimes, by the time thirst is experienced, you’re already on the road to dehydration. • Besides protecting against potentially dangerous dehydration, keeping a body filled with adequate amounts of H20 boosts mood, allows for quicker healing, lowers chances of strokes, keeps headaches at bay and increases mental awareness, according to a June piece in Family Circle.

• Ticks carry germs. When transmitted to humans through a signature burrowing bite, symptoms range from fever and body aches to irritating rashes. Symptoms can be mild to severe. Lyme disease from a tick bite can generate periodic episodes of extreme fatigue, joint pain and other symptoms. • Ticks from poppyseed-size to eraser-size do not fall from trees — they crawl up. To keep them away from skin, tuck pant legs into socks. • Consider wearing a long-sleeved shirt and hat. For summer, there is lightweight, breathable clothing for just this purpose at outdoor retailers. • Clothing and shoes can be treated with a product that contains permethrin, which repels and kills ticks. Or, send a few clothing items to InsectShield, which applies a longlasting treatment. ª Mark the date on the calendar and call a physician if tick bite symptoms develop within the next 30 days. ª Many areas in the Northeast are top tick regions. Ticks are less likely found in desert, plains and high-altitude areas, but Mather says to always be aware and proactive.

Take time off without guilt According to Bloomberg, Europeans have been consistently working fewer hours and taking more vacation time than Americans for the past 40 years. It is culturally accepted that Europeans take at least four weeks’ holiday to enjoy the summer. In stark contrast, MarketWatch shared in May that Americans generally only take 50 percent of their paid vacation time, which is typically 10 days (two work weeks). Fortune reported that in 2016 an estimated 662 million vacation days were forfeited. The survey in MarketWatch, in parternship with job site Glassdoor, determined fear and

What to know about dry drowning

guilt as main factors keeping employees in the office. Worry that others may not accomplish tasks well during their absence and that there will be too much to catch up on when they come back are two of the reasons many give for not using this perk. Suggestions for guilt-free vacationing: • Budget and plan ahead. • Go out of town, literally distancing yourself from the office. • Organize time well so most work tasks are completed ahead of schedule. • Avoid checking work email, and turn off your phone if possible.

For a parent, the idea that your child could drown on dry land is terrifying. It’s a little-known danger, but your child can enjoy a day of swimming, leave the pool and then, hours later, have trouble breathing and die. The term “dry drowning” is not medically accurate but it is the most commonly used, said Dr. Kathleen Berchelmann, a pediatric hospitalist at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Washington University School of Medicine. The more correct term is “submersion injury,” and it refers to when a child takes a little bit or a lot of water into his lungs and has a severe inflammatory reaction hours after the incident, Berchelmann said. Most commonly, it happens when a toddler slips under water for a brief moment and is then pulled from the swimming pool coughing and sputtering. The most obvious symptom is a persistent cough, one that does not subside for up to half an hour. Don’t hesitate to take a child to the emergency room if she looks fine but is experiencing a cough or: • Vomiting: Vomiting after swimming can be related to a waterborne infectious disease (such as that caused by feces in the water) but it can also be the result of severe illness due to extra fluid in the lungs. • Water rescue: If your child went under and was pulled struggling from the water by a parent or lifeguard, take them in for a medical evaluation. Don’t let them get back in the

Protect your meds Dangerous drugs are no longer available only illegally and in crimeridden areas. They are in our homes. Children are finding drugs like Vicodin and Oxycontin, or even cough medicines, and experimenting with the effects. New York State Department of Health reports that 4.5 million American kids admitted to abusing prescription drugs. What can parents do? • Partnership for Drug-Free Kids points to monitoring as key. Know exactly how much of each medication is in a cabinet. • Be vigilant, especially regarding medications that are highly addictive. Meet with parents of kids’ friends and agree to be proactive about keeping home medications inventoried, out-of-reach and even locked away. • If you leave a prescription bottle on a countertop as a reminder to take it, CDC cautions, don’t — put it away after each dose. • Got old meds? Partnership for Drug-Free Kids has a downloadable Safe Drug Disposal Guide on its website, drugfree.org. Unused

pills should not be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet. • Finally, keeping drugs out of kids’ hands is about education, information and relationship, cites NYSDH. Those whose parents are involved and openly dialoguing with them are 50 percent less likely to abuse drugs. If you’re concerned about abuse, talk to your doctor about nonopioid pharmacological therapies for pain.

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In January 2016 the Federal Trade Commission fined Lumos Labs, manufacturer of the popular Lumosity brain-training games, $2 million for unsubstantiated claims that the games could help protect against dementia and improve memory. In addition to their own study, the researchers did “a comprehensive examination of the available literature and found very little compelling evidence that playing brain games increases cognitive ability or the ability to do everyday tasks such as finding your car in a parking lot or remembering where you left your keys,” said Wally Boot, associate professor of psychology, Florida State University. If you want to boost your brain, aerobic exercise beats mental exercise, Charness said. “Go for a brisk walk instead,” he said.

Tick talk

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Think you’re keeping your brain sharp by playing Sudoku on your smartphone? You’re probably just getting better at the game, according to researchers at Florida State University’s Institute for Successful Longevity. An increasing number of people believe brain training helps protect them against memory loss or cognitive disorders, said Neil Charness, the William G. Chase Professor of Psychology at Florida State University and director of the Institute for Successful Longevity. The theory behind many brain games is that if you improve overall working memory, you can enhance performance in many areas of your life. Brain games are available online and through mobile apps that typically sell for about $15 a month or $300 for lifetime memberships.

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No proof in ‘brain-training’ games

water without being examined by a medical professional. Once in the emergency room, a doctor will treat a child by ordering an X-ray to look for water in the lungs and possibly some blood work, Berchelmann said. “The best way to prevent drowning is by teaching kids how to swim,” said Berchelmann, who advises that the appropriate age to begin swim lessons is around 4.

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umbrellas or canopies. Avoid peak hours and plan to go outdoors in early morning or late afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky,” she said. The EWG is a Washington, D.C.-based research organization that monitors the safety of consumer products and lobbies for stricter regulations. Almost three-quarters (73 percent) of sunscreens it reviewed offered inferior protection or contained worrisome ingredients like oxybenzone, a hormone disruptor, or retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A that may harm skin, Lunder said. A last word about reapplying: You’re not doing it enough. “Put it on in a thick layer. If you’re not glistening, you don’t have near the SPF level needed,” Lunder said.

Good habits are a must in marriage, maintains marriage.com, a site with expert information from social workers, psychologists and counselors. What are top habits that consistently draw couples closer together instead of driving resentment wedges? • Communicate. Cliché to suggest, but counselors point to communication as key. Speak openly and often, cites the American Psychological Association. And marriage.com shares in “10 Habits of Healthy Couples” to accentuate positives and downplay negatives. Compliment, learn about the day, and share joys and worries before pointing out that the trash was not emptied or the grocery bills are over budget. • Have fun regularly. APA points out that creativity, effort and a break from the mundane are

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If you’ve shopped for sunscreen, you know how many choices are available. To make things easier, the Environmental Working Group each summer releases a guide to help consumers make the right choices: ewg. org/sunscreen. “We have a complicated relationship with sunscreen,” said Sonya Lunder, Environmental Working Group senior analyst and the lead author of the 2017 sunscreens guide. “People who wear sunscreen get more sunburn. Sunscreen should be your last resort.” Your first defense should be clothing and hats that can shield your skin from harmful UV rays, reducing risk by 27 percent, Lunder said. Also, “find shade or make it with

Habits of happy couples

What to know about sunless tanning There are ways to accomplish a sunkissed glow without risk. John Hopkins as well as the Mayo Clinic and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggest self-tanning sprays and lotions, which primarily contain the active chemical dihydroxyacetone, or DHA. These same entities advise against tanning beds, considered just as risky as natural sun-tanning. DHA reacts on the skin’s surface to temporarily darken. Products with the chemical have been found safe if used as intended, applied externally. Ingesting or inhaling, or putting too close to sensitive areas such as eyes and lips, should be avoided, cites the FDA. Scientific studies are still determining the

chemical’s effects if used improperly. Tanning pills have not been FDAapproved. Pills contain canthaxanthin, which can cause skin color to range from orange to brown, and some users experienced hives or other issues. To play it safe, there are plenty of self-tanning products on the market. The Mayo Clinic’s tips for applying are to exfoliate skin first, use sparingly on joint areas, and wait at least 10 minutes before dressing. Family Circle suggests avoiding drips by smoothing into skin from feet upward, and speeding up the drying process with a hair dryer on a cool setting. Read directions to learn specific production application instructions.

Pet safety tips

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Just sunscreen is not enough

Summertime finds us all spending more time outdoors, and that often includes our pets. Be wary that summer fun exposes your dog or cat to heat and health hazards.

• Heat: When pets spend more time outdoors they “are more prone to infectious disease, being hit by cars and sports injuries,” said veterinarian Edward Schettino, vice president of animal welfare and veterinary services for the Animal Rescue League of Boston. Pets are also at risk for heat stroke, so be aware of the signs: excessive panting, dark or bright red tongue, sticky or dry tongue, staggering or stupor. Seek veterinary attention immediately. “And please don’t leave your pet

crucial. Take dance or cooking lessons. Try a one-night staycation at a hotel in town. Laugh. • Express appreciation — and regret. Marriage.com indicates that although it is a simple habit, the words “thank you” go a long way. A sincere “I’m sorry” also speaks volumes. • Don’t wait. Give a favorite treat or surprise with flowers — just because. Unexpected gestures mean the most. • Protect date night. Be intimate in ways besides the sexual act: affection, holding hands, hugging, eye contact. Lisa C. Bahar, a marriage and family counselor in Dana Point, California, advises to get into the habit of individual mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health so there is healthy interaction possible as a couple: Take care of yourself in order to take care of others.

in your car unattended. Dogs can die of heat stroke within minutes,” Schettino said. “Even with the temperature outside around 70 degrees, it can get above 100 degrees in the car. If you see a dog in a car unattended, please alert your local police or fire department. The dog’s life can depend on it.” • “Ticks, fleas and mosquitoes not only cause skin irritations but also transmit diseases to both dogs and cats,” Schettino said. Dogs and cats also should be protected from intestinal

parasites such as roundworms, whipworms, hookworms and coccidia, Schettino said. Mosquitoes transmit heartworm disease to dogs and cats and can be fatal. • When it comes to weed killers or pest maintenance in your yard, “it is better to err on the side of caution. If you use a yard service you should let them know what type of pets you have and ask them for their recommendations. If you do it yourself, read the label carefully and store the containers safely away from your pets,” he said.

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Are fasting diets safe?

As Americans are living longer and thriving into their 70s, 80s and beyond, they’re also dealing with the effects of old age, including memory loss. Some are turning to dietary supplements to help preserve their minds, but “there’s no evidence these brain tonics work. They’re more hype than hope,” said Dr. Marc Agronin, board certified geriatric psychiatrist and vice president for behavioral health and clinical research at Miami Jewish Health Systems, a network of assisted living facilities. “Medications are highly regulated. Dietary supplements are not. ... People are looking for a miracle, but these companies

Foods for healthy skin

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side effects from drug interactions. Many are reversible factors, but the longer you wait the harder they can be to treat, Agronin said. To maintain a healthy brain, keep a healthy lifestyle. “What’s good for the heart is also what’s good for the brain,” Agronin said. Eat a diet (like the Mediterranean diet) low in fat, high in fruits and vegetables. “Do things that you enjoy that keep your mind, body and soul active,” Agronin said. That can mean Sudoku or computer games, long walks or vigorous exercise, learning a new language or actively baby-sitting your grandchildren.

Danger signs of moles

Nutrition expert and author of “The Pinterest Diet: How to Pin Your Way Thin,” Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD, shared her list of what to put in a body to achieve healthy skin: • Chocolate — dark only. It is loaded with flavonols that benefit skin’s appearance by increasing blood flow. Another plus, flavonols absorb ultraviolet radiation. • Foods high in Vitamin A: low-fat dairy and dark orange and green vegetables. Vitamin A heals damaged tissue. • Antioxidant-rich foods such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, plums, artichokes, beans and pecans. Antioxidants protect cells as well as improve cell health. • Salmon and flaxseed, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids that assist skin’s elasticity and strength. Other foods that promote skin health are avocados, almonds and honey. In fact, a mashed avocado and a little honey can be mixed for a face mask, Dulan says. • And, drink plenty of H20. “Water is important in preventing dehydration and also preserving healthy skin. Water flushes toxins out of the body that may cause skin breakouts. Your cells need hydration to get that glowing look,” she said, adding that at least eight glasses a day keeps cells saturated. Add cucumber or citrus fruit slices if you need flavor. Another Dulan-approved liquid is green tea, which has properties that aid in decreasing inflammation, protecting against UV rays and preventing cancer.

are selling something not helping someone,” Agronin said. As people age, cognitive function tends to slow down, Agronin said. While it varies from person to person, memory loss is a normal part of aging. If memory issues are frequent and bothersome, it’s worth having them checked out either by an internist, neurologist or gerontologist. Often memory loss symptoms are relatively benign and more treatable than commonly thought, Agronin said. Some reasons a person may be experiencing memory loss include depression, low thyroid, sleep disorders, substance abuse and

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to 16 hours,” he said. For example, eat breakfast at 9 a.m., lunch and snacks, dinner at 5 or 6 p.m., and then nothing else until 9 a.m. the next morning. Alternate-day fasting involves eating on designated days and on fasting designated days, while extended fasting might be going without food for five days or more. Stern cautions to check with a physician before alternate-day or extended fasting, especially if pre-existing health conditions are an issue. Fasting diets can go by a few names, including juice fasts, Master Cleanse, calorie restriction. A true fast is wateronly. Some fast diets include juices, teas, coffee and bone broth variations. Allow a nutritionist or dietician to properly coach you through the process based on individual body type.

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Fasting has been around since the 5th century B.C., when Hippocrates recommended abstinence from food and drink as healing for some illnesses. But is it safe? In Prevention’s “5 Safe Ways to Try a Fasting Diet,” Courtney Peterson, Ph.D., an educator in the field of nutrition sciences, explained that not eating allows the body to rest and heal naturally. Because the body is not working so hard to digest, it is able to repair and recycle cells more readily. Steven Stern, nutritionist, dietician and personal trainer based in Long Beach, Calif., says the easiest and most palatable way that many people fast is intermittently: Basically, just limit eating hours. “Eat your food during a window of time and then only drink water for 12

Do memory pills work? No

Potential skin cancer can be spotted more easily when people, especially spouses, are trained to look for suspicious developments. That wisdom is especially true for men over 50, who have a higher risk than the general population of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. One in five Americans will get skin cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Melanoma is the least-common form and if treated early it is almost always curable. If not detected early enough, the cancer can spread, making it difficult to treat and potentially fatal. I like to tell my patients, “if you see something, say something,” said Dr. Thomas E. Rohrer, president, American Society for Dermatologic BIGSTOCK.COM

Surgery. “The signs of melanoma include any new or changing mole. The ABCDEs of melanoma are often used as signs of worrisome features.” These are: A: Asymmetry – when a mole is symmetrical, a line can be drawn down the center and both halves will look the same. Asymmetry means lack of this balance. B: Border – if mole borders are jagged and irregular (not smooth). C: Color – irregular and uneven. It may have different shades of brown or black. D: Diameter – greater than 6 mm, which is a bit smaller than a fingertip. E: Every mole that is changing or evolving or looks different than all of a person’s other moles.

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A guide to salt

Make better choices when eating out

Our bodies need salt, just not too much of it. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams per day, with an “ideal limit” of 1,500 milligrams: That is between half and three-quarters of a teaspoon. Some health issues, such as high blood pressure, call for tighter restrictions. That said, stores have amped up salt choices, in dozens of textures and colors. Austin, Texas-based dietician and Food Network nutrition expert Dana Angelo White offers this run-down:

Eating out may be enjoyable, but it can lead to an expanding waistline. Here are some expert tips for health-conscious foodies who like to eat out: • Find good options: “Don’t hesitate to inquire to your server to explain cooking methods and ingredients,” said Blair Kidwell, assistant professor of marketing in the College of Business Administration at Florida International University. According to Eat This, Not That!, typically local foods are fresher and more nutritious than those shipped or frozen, and there’s much debate about the benefits of farm-raised versus wild fish. Read up on facts and buzzwords before you head out. • “When it comes to ordering, go first! I have noticed that if I order last, after discovering my friends have opted for cheese fries and nachos, I am likely to switch my

meal to a less healthy option,” said registered dietitian nutritionist Anja Grommons, graduate teaching assistant at Western Michigan University. • “Consider ordering a healthy appetizer of salad before your entrée. Ask for low-fat or lowercalorie salad dressing,” said Denise Holston-West, instructor in the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Louisiana State University. Order a side salad and appetizer rather than an entire entrée, consider sharing an entrée, or ask for a to-go box immediately and put half of the entrée in the box so you are not tempted to eat the entire dish, she said. FREEPIK.COM

New ways to get in daily steps Since the advent of Fitbit and other such monitoring devices, Americans are more mindful of daily activity. These digital pedometers’ nice round 10,000 steps is a general goal. In April, Time magazine reported the 10K target is what research deems an achievable benchmark for overall good health. This activity adds up to about five miles and 500 calories burned. Yet, Health magazine revealed in 2017 that Americans overall average around 4,700 steps in a day. It may be daunting to strive daily toward five digits. But Health and other fitness experts indicate there are ways: • Socialize with friends while walking. • Walk a dog. • Clean the house. • Do yard work. • Wash the car by hand. • Purchase a Bluetooth headset and walk while talking. • Walk to the grocer, post office, school, library, etc., if possible. • Walk up and down stairs instead of taking an elevator.

• Park far away. • Get up from a desk every hour and walk 100 steps or, if working from home, put on some music and dance. Studies have shown walking at “a brisk pace” should get you 100 steps in about a minute. Other ways to enhance the walking experience, while trimming fat and building muscle, are to wear ankle weights and vary walking speeds.

• Table salt is either fortified with iodine to prevent deficiency of the important mineral, or it is not; this is mined salt most grew up on. Slight aftertaste. Inexpensive. • Kosher salt is also mined, but processed differently and in textures from fine to coarse. Inexpensive. Popular with chefs because it dissolves quickly and has a “clean and fresh flavor,” says White. • Sea salt is collected from evaporated sea water. Colors, texture and flavor vary depending on region. “These salts are culinary gems,” says White, because of

their distinct tastes. Some becoming common are pink Himalayan, Hawaiian pink, grey Atlantic and fleur de sel. Find it flaked, fine, crushed, crystalline or as blocks. Can be pricey. She and other dieticians note that most sea salt contains trace minerals not found in stripped table or kosher salt. Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach Leah Campian says sea salt aids in digestion. “It’s hard to come by these trace minerals, so sea salts are a good source,” White said.

How to avoid a brain freeze Ice-cold drinks and frozen treats are delicious, but consume them too fast and you might be hit with a stabbing headache. “A brain freeze is what happens when cold food touches a bundle of nerves in the back of the palate,” said Dr. Stephanie Vertrees, headache specialist, neurologist and clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Medicine. “The sphenopalatine ganglion — or SPG — is a group of nerves that are sensitive to cold food, and when they’re stimulated, they relay information that stimulates a part of the brain to have a headache.” SPG nerves are also responsible for other types of headaches such as migraines and cluster headaches. Some people even try to give themselves a brain freeze “to break a migraine. It may not work for everyone or work every time, but giving yourself a brain freeze can possibly

alleviate a migraine,” Vertrees said. There are several ways to avoid a brain freeze, but fewer ways to treat one. “To avoid brain freeze, eat the cold food much more slowly so that your mouth can warm up the food — don’t inhale it. Keep it in the front of your mouth: The further-back stimulation is what triggers the brain freeze,” Vertrees said. If you’re hit with a brain freeze, there’s a trick you can do to try and warm your way out of it: Press your tongue to the roof of your mouth. The heat from your tongue will warm up the sinuses behind your nose and then warm the ganglion that is causing the brain freeze. “Brain freezes are not dangerous and very self-limiting,” Vertrees said. “It’s about slowing down and being patient and aware of the likelihood of getting a brain freeze if you eat or drink too fast.”

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The right way to dry hair

Save on produce

Lere Robinson, a South African native and nutritional consultant based in Irmo, S.C., says to afford quality produce: • Look for organic deals at grocers, supermarkets like Walmart and specialty stores; when possible purchase in bulk and freeze. • Wash nonorganic produce thoroughly with a product such as Fruit and Veggie Wash and soak for a while before storing. • Buy local produce and pick your own. Converse with local farmers to learn how their crops grow. • Grow your own produce and avoid using pesticides.

Forever Clean, a residential cleaning service with offices in Delaware and Maryland, shares some cleaning do’s and don’ts: scrubbing, which can untwist and damage carpet fibers. • Also from Real Simple: To get more of your cleaning solution where it needs to go, spray directly on the rag and then wipe, rather than spraying on the surface to be cleaned. • Instead of throw rugs in the kitchen, purchase feet-friendly gel mats for in front of the stove and sink. They can easily be swept and wiped.

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• Use furniture polishes sparingly as polish build-up attracts dust; use an orange-oil cleanser instead and save polishing for a few times a year. A microfiber duster works great to remove dust. • Warm sunny days are not the right time to wash windows as the solution dries too quickly and results in streaks; plan for a pleasant cloudy day instead. • Blot carpet stains instead of

Uses for citrus peels

You love fresh citrus but tossing those rinds seems so wasteful. SpendWithPennies.com offers a few ways to put them to good use: • Zest a lemon, dry it (Google how) and mix it with pepper for lemon pepper seasoning. • Mix 2–3 tablespoons of grated lemon zest into about a cup of olive oil and let marinate for two weeks or so. Shake every so often. At the end of the two weeks, strain out the zest for lemon-infused olive oil. • Let some citrus peels steep in your tea. • Throw lemon rinds or orange peels in vinegar and let the citrusy scent infuse it. • Citrus peels will deodorize a garbage disposal. • If you have ants or other pests coming in through door frames, windows or other cracks, place citrus peels in their path and they will run in the other direction.

Do you really have to dry-clean? Cooking for a crowd

Coordinating an extra-large meal and making it run smoothly take planning. • “Start off making a list. Take pen to paper or open the notepad on your phone. Make an overall outline with the number of people, the theme, a timeline including what you can prepare in advance. Also, schedule in time for yourself to get ready and for a moment to breathe before chaos ensues,” said Manhattan-based entertaining expert Francesco Bilotto. • It falls on the guests to alert you to any foods they cannot eat, but a generous host will ask and be mindful of people’s restrictions, Bilotto said. • With so much work to be done, it’s a smart move to cheat a bit. Buy the baked goods, charcuterie or crudite plate, or even a honey-baked ham. • Shop the salad bar at your local market. This works out especially well if you need small portions of expensive items like a half-cup of feta cheese or sliced pepperoncini peppers. • The amount of food you’ll need to serve depends on the guests. The more types of food you’ll offer, the less you’ll need of each dish. “Err on the side of too much,” Bilotto said.

When to spend on organics

Because organic produce is not always affordable for everyone, the Environmental Working Group releases annually its Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists of which produce is worth buying organic and which is not. • 2017’s lists are similar to last year’s, and telling. Strawberries remain at the top of the Dirty Dozen: 99 percent grown in the United States continue to be sprayed with some kind of pesticide. Spinach jumped from No. 8 to No. 2 because research determined that conventionally grown varieties contain a significant amount of pesticide residue by weight. And new to the list are pears, which were found to have double the amount of pesticide residue since findings in 2010. These are all products for which an organic, or pesticide-free, choice is recommended. • The EWG made few adjustments to the Clean 15 list. Fruits and vegetables named here are considered the safest to eat. In fact, no single item tests positive for more than four types of pesticides. The top five are sweet corn, avocados, pineapples, cabbage and onions.

It is often frustrating to find that perfect item of clothing, only to learn it must be dry-cleaned or hand-washed. Does everything with such labels really need special care? Owner Kav Apadana of San Diego, Calif.-based Apadana Cleaners says hand-washed items sometimes last a little longer, in general, than clothing requiring dry cleaning because the latter involves slightly harsher chemicals. • He suggests that those planning to hand-wash should use a detergent specifically made for handwashing, and follow directions that state whether items should be hung immediately or laid out flat on a towel to dry. • If you want to treat your clothes right but don’t have time for a daily dry-cleaning run, consider purchasing a delicates bag for your washing machine, a home dry-clean kit, and certainly the right detergent. • Before washing a fabric at home, spot-test an area on a seam or a less-visible section with water and a dab of the cleaner to learn the reaction. • The dryer is the ultimate enemy for dry-cleanonly clothing, so avoid at all costs.

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Pro cleaning tips

Stylists attend special schools to learn proper techniques, but there are basics that can be practiced at home. • To start, Marie Claire says, use the hair-dryer attachment; it was created for a reason — to focus the heat in a concentrated area. • Use the right type of brush. The fashion magazine talked to Redken stylist-to-the-stars Rodney Cutler, who insists the larger the brush the better; the result will be smoother hair. • Thehairstyler.com shares that a main technique involves blowing down the shaft, instead of just drying the ends that need to be curled or flipped. This also results in smoother, sleeker hair. • Dry in sections instead of all over and scattered, but do not concentrate on one section for too long. • Move the dryer from about 10 inches away while drying to about six inches away when styling. • Instead of drying with your head upside down, use a volumizer on the roots and start drying at the nape of the neck. Work through and up until the top front layer of hair is reached. • The short hair “wrap technique,” according to howcast.com, is achieved with a regular flat bristle brush following the flow of the hair layers with the dryer’s fitted attachment.

Remove gel polish at home

Gel manicures can put you in an expensive cycle of upkeep. When your current mani no longer looks its best, you can take the polish off your natural nails at home with these steps: 1. Don’t peel! Picking or filing off old polish will hurt the nail underneath, leading to months of healing time and sensitive, ratty-looking tips. 2. Lightly buff the top coat with a buffing block or soft-grit file. Don’t remove all of the polish — just the shine. 3. Soak cotton balls in acetone and put them over the entire nail surface. Wrap each fingertip in foil and soak for 10 minutes, like they do at the salon. If polish remains on the nail, rewrap and soak until all the gel is gone. 4. Gently file nails and push back cuticles. Hydrate with a cuticle oil and super-moisturizing hand cream.

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Home Household dangers you may have missed Parents tend to be so careful about making sure cleaning agents, medications, guns and pesticides are safely out of the reach of little ones. It may be surprising that cosmetics and personal care products top the list of reasons why poison control is often called, especially for children younger than 6. In 2014, more than 150,000 children were affected by products that fall into this category. Information provided by kidshealth.org, reviewed by physicians, reveals that perfume, hair dye, nail polish and nail polish remover can be especially harmful. Lipsticks and lip glosses are enticing because of colors and smells, but some contain traces of metals. Other potential dangers: • Art supplies. Healthy Schools Network filed a report in 2011 recommending that young children avoid permanent or dry-erase markers as well as some glues and paints, primarily because of toxic fumes. Possible health effects include blurred vision, severe nasal congestion, headaches and dizziness. • Potted plants cause more than 27,000 children to need medical attention annually, reports Poison Control. And, since essential oils are derived from plants, misuse and overuse — or unintentional ingestion — can cause symptoms ranging from skin rashes to seizures to poisoning. • Pet medications, such as flea and tick prevention and heartworm preventatives, are often packaged in interesting shapes and colors. In February, Fox News presented a report citing that children 5 and younger account for 88 percent of calls to poison control centers because of exposure to pet meds. Even if the meds are secured in a cabinet or on a high shelf, the Fox report cautions parents to make sure the pet swallows the medication completely and does not spit part of it out somewhere accessible to a child. Plus, after a pet receives a topical flea or tick treatment, the child should not touch the pet for a few days to avoid exposure to the strong chemical.

Home

Save on summer energy costs The U.S. Department of Energy offers up ways to avoid sweltering while saving money at the same time: • Even though it is tempting to turn the air conditioner thermostat up and down, keeping it at a steady 78 degrees saves energy, which reduces costs. • Ceiling fans allow for an increase of at least 4 degrees in the thermostat temperature, with no comfort compromised. But turn off those fans when leaving the room as fans are for the benefit of cooling people, not areas. • The DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy instructs homeowners to keep air conditioner filters clean; replace at least once a month or as recommended by the unit’s manufacturer. • When possible, cook meals in small electric pans, or toaster or convection ovens instead of heating up the whole kitchen. Smaller appliances used one-third to one-half as much energy as a full-sized oven, explain DOE experts. Pressure cookers and microwaves use less energy because cooking time is reduced. For the same reason, set your dishwasher to air dry instead of heat dry. • Unplug those electronic devices when not in use. Most continue to draw power even when switched off. • Even though cold showers may be preferred during heat waves, there is no need to turn the hot water heater off. Setting it at 120 degrees is a significant energy saver, as at least 18 percent of energy costs can be blamed on water heating.

Look up for storage space The next time you struggle with an overstuffed closet or pantry, look up — rather than around — to see if you can make use of neglected vertical storage space. “Look up and place shelving wherever possible,” said Monica Friel, president and founder of Chicagobased Chaos to Order. “Making use of all available space will clear up clutter in other areas.” Here are some of Friel’s favorite ways to use vertical space: • In closets, use baskets on high shelves to store out-of-season wear and rarely used clothing and accessories. Just be sure to label your baskets. • Hooks are a favorite organizing tool. “You can put them up anywhere: inside cabinets, behind doors. It’s a brilliant way to maximize space.” • If your home is stretched for space, consider stackable appliances like a washer and dryer.

• Use adjustable bed risers to gain a few extra inches of vertical space for storage. Just be sure it doesn’t make your bed “look to clunky,” Friel said. Even without raising the bed, under-bed storage is a great option for storing seasonal clothes. Just be sure to label one side for winter clothes and the other for summer. • Magnetic knife holders are great for kitchens but they can hold so much more. In a work room or garage, they’ll hold tools and paint brushes. Wash off the label of a soup can and it can hold smaller items like screws and nails. In a craft area, scissors will cling to a magnetic surface. In the bathroom it’s handy for tweezers and hair accessories. • Since you’ll need to reach things in high places, be sure to keep a step stool handy. Plenty of lightweight yet sturdy options exist that not only can fold flat but are easily hung — on a hook.

More bank for your gardening buck Rodger Winn of Rodgers Heirlooms in Little Mountain, South Carolina, cultivates dozens of varieties of vegetables the cheapest way possible — he uses seeds from his wife’s families’ gardens. Seed swapping and sharing is just one way to have a garden without breaking the bank: • GRIT Magazine, in a February article, suggested contacting local agricultural organizations for seed swap dates. • Another way to stretch a gardening buck is to purchase one desired plant and do root cuttings off of it to cultivate more plants. Or, Better Homes and Gardens advises, ask friends for bulbs and cuttings; offer to share with them as well. • Invest in plants that are native to the area. They thrive and need less babying with

expensive fertilizers and pesticides. • Also, check out the local almanac or consult an area agricultural expert to make sure planting takes place at the right time so seeds and plants have the best chance to grow. • A money-saving tip from Readers Digest: Purchase gardening equipment in the fall. Many stores are trying to clear out items such as shovels, rakes and containers to make way for holiday merchandise and winter wares.

The best compost scraps

Composting kitchen scraps for use in the garden is an eco-friendly practice that plenty of people get behind. Basically there are a few rules: No meat, bones or dairy products. So your moldy bread, apple cores, lettuce leaves and other organic waste can be judiciously added when planting a garden to decompose into rich soil. Simply bury the organic material where you will plant your crops. Some materials provide special help to growing plants: • Clean, crushed egg shells (even better, grind them in a food processor) add calcium and help aerate the soil, said Mike Contratto, master naturalist with the University of Illinois Extension. They’re especially beneficial when planting tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and melons because they help protect against blossom-end rot. • Both peels and overripe bananas (chopped or layered) will act as fertilizer and provide potassium as well as calcium, sulfur and magnesium. “Whole bananas, however, will attract rodents,” said John Harrison of the Espoma Company, a natural plant food company. • “Cooled coffee grounds can be used sparingly in the garden when blended in with the soil. You can also add coffee grounds to your compost,” Harrison said. • Not all plants like tea leaves, but roses, ferns and blueberries do. First, throw away tea bag tags and any staples, then add to soil before planting or when plants are resting or dormant, Harrison said. As they decompose, tea leaves emit nitrogen, which acts as a fertilizer.

What pairs with herbs?

Here are a few tips from Joan Casanova, spokeswoman for Bonnie Plants, about how to incorporate herbs in foods, desserts or beverages: • Basil: Use in sauces, sandwiches, soups and salads. Delicious when combined with tomatoes, mozzarella and olive oil. Goes well with watermelon. Strawberries and basil pair amazingly well together, especially when served over vanilla ice cream. Try in spiced tomato juice or add to pineapple juice with lime and club soda. • Mint: Great with lamb, peas, carrots or any veggie salad. Mix with any berry and a super-sensational pairing with chocolate. Add sweet mint to chocolate chip cookie mix. • Rosemary: Use while roasting lamb with garlic and olive oil or as a nice addition to tomato sauce, pizza and pork. Complements tarts and is great with sorbet; pairs well with apricots. While many people use mint to flavor lemonade, try using a sprig of rosemary. • Oregano: Sprinkle on salads, pizza and in tomato sauces. Add chopped oregano to vinaigrette or use it in poultry, game or seafood dishes to perk them up and infuse a Greek or Italian taste. • Cilantro: One of the most versatile herbs, cilantro adds distinctive flavor to salsas, soups, stews, curries, salads, vegetables, fish and chicken dishes. • Parsley: Try a mixture of chopped parsley and garlic on roasted lamb, grilled steaks, fish, chicken and vegetables. • Dill: Add fresh, sharp flavor to all kinds of foods such as cheese, omelets, seafood (especially salmon), potato salads and all kinds of cucumber dishes. • Tarragon: Works well in light glazes or sauces for cakes and pairs well with any lemon dessert. • Sage: Pair with fruit like oranges, apples and pears.

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