Sunday, February 17, 2013

Prevent A Home Electrical Fire

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, home electrical problems cause more than 26,000 fires a year, half of which involve electrical wiring. Call an electrician if you have any of the following: • Problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers. • Discolored, cracked, or warm wall outlets or switches (if you see sparks, make the call as soon as possible). • A burning smell or rubbery odor from an appliance. • Flickering lights. Take these precautions: • Make sure your smoke detectors are working properly. • Replace old or damaged appliance cords immediately. • If buying a used appliance, ask if it has been tested for safety.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Relieve Eye Pain In Seconds

Do you spend much of the day staring at a computer, sending text messages on your phone, and ending the evening by watching a movie on a high-definition TV? No wonder your eyes are tired! Here are four exercises to relieve eye pain and make them not feel dry, itchy, blurred, and strained:  Eye Roll: While keeping your eyes open and head still, roll your eyes up to look at the ceiling, roll around clockwise slowly five times. Repeat the motion counter clockwise.  Palming: Rub the palms of your hands together until they are warm. Cover your eyes and concentrate on your breath until your palms cool.  Massage: Place your fingertips on your eyelids and gently move them in a circular motion for 60 seconds.  Temple Turning: Place the knuckles of your thumbs on the sides of your eyes near the temples. Massage by circling the temples three times. Do the same above the midpoint of your eyebrows and both sides of the bridge of your nose. It’s also a good idea to give your eyes a rest every 25 minutes spent reading or sitting in front of back-lit screen (computer, tablet, phone, TV). Simply get up and look around the room at other objects for 5 minutes.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Do You Have A Gas Leak?

Use these senses to recognize a gas leak: • SMELLING – If your house smells like rotten eggs, you may be in serious trouble. Natural gas suppliers add the scent to the gas as a warning that harmful vapors are leaking into the air. • HEARING – a leak may make a hissing sound or a loud roar. • SEEING – a leak may cause dust or debris to fly, create bubbling movement in water, or cause discoloration in green vegetation. Here’s how to respond to this deadly danger: • Get everyone out of the house, move a safe distance away, call 911 and your local gas company for help. To prevent electric sparks that could ignite an explosion, follow these tips: • Don’t turn on or off electrical switches. • Don’t start your car in the garage or use garage door openers. • Don’t strike a match.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

5 Foods That Fill You Up

If you’re watching your weight, you can eat more than salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner. These foods will help fill you up, not out: • Oatmeal (not instant). It’s a healthy carb with a high fiber content. • Eggs. Eat them for breakfast and you’ll have about 330 calories less than usual throughout the rest of the day. • Dark chocolate. Researchers say compounds in dark chocolate slow down digestion and make you feel full longer. But don’t eat the whole bar! • Soup. A Pennsylvania State study showed that people who had two servings of low-calorie soup daily lost 50 percent more weight than those who ate the same number of calories in snack foods. Choose broth or vegetables, not the creamy variety. • Pine nuts. They contain pinolenic acid, which stimulates hormones that suppress your appetite. Plus, your mouth likes the crunch.