Cool Frames

Great-looking eyeglasses don’t have to cost a fortune. Prada and Versace eyeglasses, which can be over $350 a pair, are made by Luxottica but the same company also makes glasses for Target and LensCrafters for under $100. Instead of buying from your eye doctor, see what’s available at Pearle Vision, Target, Sears, and Costco. SimplyEyeglasses.com and LensesRx.com offer prescription, name-brand lenses and glasses for lower cost and generally offer a larger selection than a storefront.

How Blue Light Affects You

The blue light emitted by fluorescent light bulbs, cell phones, laptops and tablets can affect your body, according to medical researchers. Here are some interesting ways (that you can use to your advantage): • More than an hour of time in front of your device can delay sleep. Exposure to all light at nighttime, but especially blue light, can disrupt your body’s natural cycle. During the day blue light can wake you up immediately upon exposure, too, so use it to your advantage by turning up your screen for 15 minutes to stay more alert if you’re feeling tired. • Blue light during the day can make you happier, but exposure to blue light at night is linked to symptoms of depression. Turn off all your devices at night to help you sleep better. • It may make you hungrier. Various studies suggest the level of the hormone in your body that makes you feel full is reduced after exposure to blue light. Have a romantic dinner by candlelight instead of in front of the TV.

Things to consider when buying a home

• Understand how much home you can afford. Calculate the two numbers bankers and mortgage lenders use to determine how much they will loan to you: payment-to-income ratio and debt-to-income ratio (visit Bankrate.com and click “Calculators” at the top for examples). • Understand the basics of home financing. Your ability to afford a home will be related to its price, your down payment (and the amount you’ll finance), the interest rate and points of your loan, the term and the type of your loan. Study these items and the relationship between them. Save thousands by making your own mortgage acceleration payment schedule. Take your current monthly mortgage payment of principal and interest and multiply that number by 13. Divide that total by 12 to get your new “accelerated” monthly payment

4 Dangerous Chemicals You May Have In Your Home

You’d like to think that the cleaning products you use are making your house cleaner, and therefore safer – but many common cleaning supplies can be dangerous to your health. • Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner. This cleaner is one of the worst because the manufacturer advertises it as “non-toxic.” Some of its ingredients are banned in Europe! A solvent it contains can also damage your blood cells. Try: Make a solution of one part white distilled vinegar/nine parts water for a cheap and safe cleaner. • Scrubbing Bubbles (Antibacterial Bathroom Cleaner and Extend-a-Clean Mega Shower Foamer). Both of these products contain another substance banned at high concentrations in Europe: the solvent DEGBE, which can irritate your lungs. Try: Baking soda works amazingly well when scrubbing the bathroom, tub, and shower. It also won’t inflame your lungs. Try mixing it with a little salt and water to make a paste. • Mop and Glo Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner. This also contains the chemical DEGBE at a concentration (15%) far beyond what’s allowed in Europe (3%). Try: Make your own floor cleaner with a mixture of 50/50 vinegar and water, or 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 tsp. vegetable oil for wood floors. Also try Branch Basics at branchbasics.com or Mrs. Meyers Clean Day products at mrsmeyers.com. • Drano Professional Strength Kitchen Crystals Clog Remover. This product can cause blindness or even death if ingested. It can stay in the drain after use, and become even more hazardous when mixed with other chemicals. Try: Use a toilet plunger or drain snake when faced with clogs and skip the chemicals. You can check other products you have in your home at: ewg.org

Get Your Child Excited About Reading

Does your child spend too much time watching TV or playing video games and not enough time reading? Here are 7 quick tips to make reading fun and exciting: 1. Let your child choose books they’re personally interested in. This way they won’t get bored right away. If they can’t decide, help them by matching a book topic with one of their interests. 2. Encourage them to act out the book as a play. Kids love to perform for others, and this will help them remember more. 3. Ask your child to draw pictures of the characters. This gets them to really think about the details, plus it’s fun! 4. Read chapter books. These have more surprises and character development, which will help your child visualize the words more. 5. Take turns reading and let them ask questions. Also, have them read aloud to their siblings or friends. 6. Work with other parents to start a book club for kids. Here’s a video: www.howdini.com/howdini-video-14452277.html 7. Get your child an eReader. If you can’t get them away from video games, at least make their time in front of a screen more productive. If you have an iPAD, go to www.progressbythepage.com to find a reading app. It comes with a list of free eBooks, and ways to monitor their time spent reading.

Eat THIS To Fight Inflammation

Inflammation, swelling of body tissue, has been shown to cause asthma, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. Here are foods that increase inflammation (BAD), and some that help fight it (GOOD): • BAD – Baked goods made with white flour have starches that turn to sugar, which spikes insulin and brings on inflammation. Gluten, a protein found in wheat, causes inflammation in many people. • BAD – Cola has high amounts of sugar, and the caramel coloring contains a chemical (4-MI) shown to cause cancer in animals. • BAD – Candy sometimes has artificial “dyes” that disrupt body chemistry. Look for “no artificial colors” on the label. • GOOD – Fruits and vegetables. Berries contain flavonoids; zucchini contains salicylates; and red grapes are ripe with quercetin. All of these are natural phytonutrients that fight tissue inflammation. • GOOD – Orange juice is loaded with vitamin C and flavonoids that help prevent blood vessel damage.

Natural Energy Boosters

Try these to boost your energy without caffeine:  Drink more water. Often your body tells you you’re tired when you’re just dehydrated.  Have a protein-rich snack, like an egg, mixed nuts, beans, or tofu.  Listen to the right music. Upbeat music that you love will keep you awake and mentally energized.  Tug your hair. Surprisingly, pulling your hair gently helps release tension (which can make you tired) and gets the blood flowing to your scalp.