Detecting “Unwanted” Visitors

Could you be sharing your home with uninvited visitors – like mice, squirrels, birds, or even termites? Pests are a common problem for everyone, so here are a few tips to spot them and what to do: Where you might find them. Look for animal droppings, signs of chewing, and odor in your kitchen, basement, closets, and attic. Check any moist areas like around air conditioning units. In the case of termites, look for “dirt tubes” around your home’s perimeter, particularly in cracks or crevices. What to do. You know how to trap mice in the kitchen. After you trap them, be sure to clean up crumbs and keep food sealed up. When it comes to larger animals, like squirrels, birds, or snakes, don’t try to remove them yourself. They can be dangerous when cornered. If you suspect you have the larger visitors or tiny bugs like termites, hire a professional animal catcher or pest control company.

Is Microphilanthropy For You?

Charitable giving comes in many forms, but the latest trend is toward microphilanthropy, which involves direct interaction between individual donors and projects. This giving is popular because donors can give small amounts that make a big difference and choose where their money goes. Some examples include DonorsChoose.org, which funds specific project requests from teachers in U.S. public schools; GlobalGiving.org, a marketplace that connects donors to 1,000 pre-screened grassroots charity projects around the world; ModestNeeds.org, which assists families who are unable to pay their monthly bills; and Kiva.org, which is peer-to-peer micro-lending to the applicant of the donor’s choice. You can check out these organizations, get tips on setting your philanthropic goals for 2011 and research more than 5,500 other charities by visiting www.charitynavigator.org, an independent charity evaluator.

Can Medication Make You Sick?

Medication is supposed to make us better, but it can have the opposite effect. Take care to avoid these medication mistakes: • Mixing over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications. You may be double dosing. For example, if you take a cold pill that contains acetaminophen (more than 600 OTC and prescription medicines do), don’t pop an additional Tylenol for good measure. Too much of the drug can cause liver damage. • Not recognizing the “rebound effect.” That’s when a drug produces reverse effects when the effect of the drug has passed or the patient no longer responds to it. In other words, a remedy meant to help may make a condition worse. This has been known to happen with pain relievers, OTC eye drops, decongestant sprays, sleeping pills and teeth whiteners. Best advice: If you don’t think a drug or product is working, don’t just take more of it. Talk to your doctor about alternatives.

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.

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.

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.

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.