Got Aspirin?

There’s something you need at home, at work, and in your briefcase or purse...

Got aspirin? If not – get some. As a matter of fact, get a few bottles. All adults should have a bottle of baby aspirin at home, at work, in your briefcase or purse. In case of a heart attack, chewing two baby aspirin will immediately thin the blood, prevent clots and help keep blood flowing to the heart. If it’s NOT a heart attack – those two tablets won’t hurt a thing.

Even if you’re in perfect health – and have no heart worries – chances are you’re surrounded by adults wherever you are. Your baby aspirin could make all the difference to them because every second counts – and you’ll find yours faster than theirs.

Comfort Food

Does comfort food really work? Yes...

If you’re feeling lonely or sad – there might be something to that pint of ice cream or macaroni and cheese. Research found that comfort food actually CAN be good for our mental health – and we don’t even have to eat it! Participants were asked to write about a fight they had with someone close to them. Then, some were asked to write about comfort food while the others wrote about new food. The people who wrote about comfort food felt less lonely and a little better overall.

The researchers say that people actually associate the feel-good food with the people they are close with – and eating or even just thinking about that food gave them a sense of connection with that person.

Hidden Assets

You’ve probably got some hidden strengths you don’t even know about...

A lot of us are really good at things we might not even be aware of. If it’s a skill that comes naturally to us – we might take it for granted. If you’d like to identify some of your not-so-hidden strengths – pay attention – the people around you probably see them. Each time you’re asked for help or advice, try to categorize it. You’ll probably start to see a pattern. You may be a natural at negotiating, diplomacy, problem solving or creative thinking without even knowing it.

Lost Tooth Economy

How much does the Tooth Fairy leave under YOUR pillow?

The Tooth Fairy doesn’t seem to be bothered much by a tough economy. She’s actually doling out more these days. In 2010 – kids averaged $2.52 per tooth – up 18% from 2009. Apparently the Tooth Fairy plays favorites though – statistics show monetary gifts under the pillow ranged from one penny to $100.

84% of parents surveyed reported that the Tooth Fairy visits their home. Let’s home the other 16% are still teething.

Source: Delta Dental of Minnesota annual Tooth Fairy Poll

Big Emergency

Ambulances and recue trucks are getting bigger – literally.

Hopefully you won’t need an ambulance any time soon – but if you do – there may be plenty of room in there. According to Captain Jose Archila, of Boston’s Emergency Medical Services fleet, ambulances and rescue vehicles are being modified around the country to accommodate the growing number of obese passengers. Stretchers, hospital beds and wheelchairs are getting bigger and sturdier too. He says their new super-sized vehicles and equipment can handle patients weighing up to 1,600 pounds – and are needed 3 or 4 times a week.

DON'T Reply All

The next time you receive a mass email – don’t hit “Reply All”...

Sending an email to multiple people is convenient and makes sense to get the word out. Replying to ALL of them doesn’t. Every recipient on that list does NOT need to see your response to the sender – no matter how clever you think it is. It just jams up people’s inboxes with stuff they don’t need to sift through.

We’re really better off forgetting that “Reply All” button is even there. It’s been known to get people into trouble when they hit it by mistake. Get in the habit of hitting reply – and then manually put in the names you’d like to send it to.

In the Gutter

If you think you’re finally done with winter – you're probably not...

This past winter was a doozy – and your gutters probably took a beating. Now that spring is here it’s time to assess the damages – they might need more than the standard spring cleaning of debris. The weight of anything that froze in there over the winter may have pulled the gutter spikes that hold them into the house out a bit. They should be replaced with gutter screws – they stay in better. While you’re up there – check the gutter seams. They can pull apart too and any gaps need to be filled with gutter calk.

Mouth Massage

If you’d like to live longer – massage your gums...

Have you massaged your gums today? You should. According to Victor Zeines, author of “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body,” most of us have some sort of gum disease – and that can quadruple the risk of heart attack and triple the risk of stroke. He says we can add years to our lives by taking care of our mouths beyond brushing and flossing. You can start with a gum massage. It increases blood supply, gets more oxygen and nutrients to the area and amps up infection-fighting white blood cells. The gum massage is pretty simple – just gently rub your gums a few times a day with a clean finger or Q-tip.

Organic Junk

Organic food is good for us – right? Not always...

If you buy organic – don’t be fooled – it’s not always good for you. Reader’s Digest has a list of organics that are STILL junk food:

• Soda – even if it’s free of artificial colors and preservatives – it’s still full of other sickeningly sweet stuff like liquid cane syrup. Opt for flavored seltzer instead.

• Organic mac and cheese – there might be less bad stuff in there – but there’s no more good stuff like vegetables or fiber.

• Organic ice cream – most of them are still PACKED with sugar and calories. The same goes for most organic cookies, doughnuts or chocolate covered anything.

Tax Help

If you’ve been putting off those taxes – help is on the way...

The clock is ticking on tax time. If you’ve been putting it off there are some resources out there to make it a lot easier – for FREE!

• The IRS has a VITA program – that stands for volunteer income tax assistance. If you make under $49,000 – they’ll prepare and file your taxes for you.

• IRS offices will answer as many tax-related questions as you like if you’re stumped. You can also call the IRS help line – 800-829-1040.

• A lot of law schools offer free or low-cost advice on legal issues with your taxes – such as an outstanding tax debt. Law students get valuable experience practicing on your problems.

Birthmark Fortune

Do you have a birthmark? Where it is says something about you...

Would you like to know the secret to a happy marriage? It’s having a birthmark on your right cheek. There’s no real scientific data to back that up – but folklore says it’s so. Here are some other good spots to have a birthmark or beauty mark:

• Chin – this person will enjoy success.
• Near mouth – great wealth and happiness.
• Center of forehead – the opposite sex LOVES you.
• Right Side of forehead – you’ve got exceptional mental power.

Some not-so-great birthmark spots:

• Left Side of the forehead – you love to spend money.
• Left cheek – brace yourself for financial difficulties.
• Center of chest – prepare to be UNsuccessful.
• Abdomen – you’re greedy and selfish.



Fashionably Late

Even if you're NOT Elizabeth Taylor - it's okay to be late - sometimes... 

Liz Taylor arrived to her own funeral “fashionably late” – that’s 15 minutes in the book of etiquette. Few things annoy other people more than people who are late – but, according to Emily Post’s Etiquette Daily, you might be EXPECTED to arrive late for a dinner party – depending on who’s hosting it. In some areas, particularly rural parts of the country, you are expected to be prompt, while in a number of cities, arriving between 15 minutes and a half hour after the party starts is merely considered “fashionably late.”

If you’re a stickler for punctuality – and prefer to arrive “fashionably EARLY” – there’s no such thing. “On time” is the absolute earliest you should arrive unless you’ve been asked to help or come ahead of time.

Washing Dishes

Dishwashers save a lot of time – but do they save water?

If you think you’re saving water by using the dishwasher – you’re right! Assuming your dishwasher is relatively new – and that you wait until it’s full to run it – you’re saving about 5,000 gallons a year! The average dishwasher uses 4 to 6 gallons of water per load. If you let the water run while you’re washing dishes by hand – that’s about 2 gallons a minute. If you’d like to save even more water – scrape your plates and skip the pre-rinse cycle on your dishwasher. That will save another 3 to 7 gallons of water per load.

Perfectionism

Are you a perfectionist? Cut that out!

Getting everything just right can be exhausting – and if you’re a perfectionist – stop it! Perfectionists tend to be procrastinators too – because getting it perfect is a daunting task. Some perfectionists let things pile up until they have the time or resources to do them just right. They tend to see things in black and white – succeed or fail – which can do a number on their self-worth.

Another pitfall for perfectionists is that they may focus their efforts on what they can get perfect, instead of tackling things that really need to get done.  It might seem ironic - but some serious conditions such as hoarding or isolation are actually routed in perfectionism.

Ahem!

Clearing your throat can become habit forming...

Ahem. Throat clearing can be an effective way to get attention – but it can also become an annoyance – and even a habit. A cold, acid reflux, age and even stage fright can trigger throat clearing. But once our vocal chords have been roughed up – the throat clearing urge can stick around and even increase - AFTER the original trigger is gone.

One way to break the habit is to stop, think and drink – every time you have the urge to clear your throat. You’ll need to keep a bottle of water handy all the time. Another throat clearing technique is to sniff and swallow. A brisk sniff in – and a hard swallow might do the trick and will be much kinder to your vocal chords. If you MUST clear – try doing it silently, without using your voice.