Personal Wellness Articles

1. The Compact Disc: From Music to Medicine

Compact discs are everywhere these days. Widely used to hold music, data and computer software, CDs have become the gold standard for reliable content storage. Introduced to the consumer market in 1982, CDs were first manufactured for music distribution, and steadily emerged as the media of choice among consumers and professionals alike. Just as the CD changed the way we listen to music, ... read more

2. Taking Steps for KidsBy Shay Bilchik

Many Americans gladly donate time and money to their favorite causes. But not many take the steps - literally - that Mike Kanarick and his wife Liz Kleinberg have to increase public awareness about abused and neglected children and raise money to support the work of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). The Alabama couple began hiking the Appalachian Trail on March 24, 2003, setting ... read more

3. Crédito Deducción por Impuestos Extranjeros

¿Está pagando impuestos sobre las rentas a un país extranjero o un territorio en posesión de los Estados Unidos? Algunas personas pueden calificar para un crédito tributario o una deducción para los pagos de impuestos extranjeros cuando llega el momento de pagar sus impuestos a los Estados Unidos. Normalmente, la mejor opción es el crédito por impuestos extranjeros. Según el IRS, el crÃ... read more

4. Aging Americans Ripe for Snow Sports

On any winter weekend 55-year-old snowboarder Mike Freeman is a fixture at Aspen's mountains, either hiking Highlands Bowl to ride the 45-plus-degree steeps, launching off rocks or sliding rails in Buttermilk's terrain park. He wears the latest Burton gear, listens to an iPod and shames riders half his age. "It's so much friggin' fun! I even got an X-box," admits the father of a 31-year-old da... read more

5. Five Tips for Raising Charitable ChildrenTeach Kids to Care about Their Local and Global Neighbors

Every day, American children are inundated with messages about must-have toys, computer games, designer-label apparel, and more. In a "˜me-centered" culture, it can be quite a challenge to educate children about the needs of the less fortunate in our neighborhoods and around the world. Making charitable giving a priority can bring children a new awareness of the world and their plac... read more

6. Get Out and Walk

It's Good for You (ARA) - Walking is good exercise for anyone, especially for the 70 million Americans with arthritis. It's an endurance exercise, which means it strengthens the heart, helps lungs work more efficiently and adds more stamina so individuals do not tire as easily. As a weight-bearing exercise (one that puts full weight on the bones), walking helps strengthen bones, reducing th... read more

7. Get a Faster Refund With Direct Deposit

Expecting a tax refund? You can get it faster if you fill out the direct deposit information on your tax return to directly deposit your refund into your bank account. Direct deposit is available for all taxpayers, regardless of how they file their return - phone, computer or mail. Directly depositing your refund into your checking or savings account is more secure because there's no check to ge... read more

8. Get a Faster Refund With Direct Deposit

Expecting a tax refund? You can get it faster if you fill out the direct deposit information on your tax return to directly deposit your refund into your bank account. Direct deposit is available for all taxpayers, regardless of how they file their return - phone, computer or mail. Directly depositing your refund into your checking or savings account is more secure because there's no check to ge... read more

9. Skip the Sodium, Not the Flavor

Do you know how much sodium you consume on a daily basis? If you're like many Americans, you may have no idea. Current government guidelines for sodium intake recommend no more than 2,400 milligrams daily (approximately 1 teaspoon) but the average American adult consumes nearly 4,000 milligrams a day. This is one reason why the American Public Health Association (APHA) recommends a 50 p... read more

10. Blue Hostas Popular Among Consumers

Hostas are as popular as ever among consumers. But today's most popular variety goes beyond just your basic green and white - it's actually blue! "Consumers are absolutely in love with blue hostas," says Gordy Oslund, owner of a mail-order company called Shady Oaks Nursery that specializes in hostas and other shade-loving plants. Shady Oaks Nursery grows and sells over 200 different kinds of ... read more

11. Buying While Selling? Tips on Juggling Two Escrows

Along with lemonade stands and colorful blooms, a sure sign of summer is the fresh crop of For Sale signs in the yards of homes across the country. The real estate market continues to be hot for both buyers and sellers, making it a sizzling summer for those folks looking for a new place to call home. Buying a new home is often one of the most exhilarating events a family experiences. But t... read more

12. Fill Your Party with the Sound of the Holidays

That warm feeling you get when the weather turns cold, decorations adorn the local mall and eggnog appears at your favorite grocery store means the holidays are right around the corner! And if you plan to throw the perfect holiday party, music is essential to capture the spirit of the season. There are two easy ways to ensure spirit fills the air at your party so your guests are singing "Jingle Be... read more

13. Give Trick-or-Treaters a Memorable Treat

r-Treaters a Memorable Treat (ARA) - When the ghosts and goblins come knocking on your door on October 31st, give them a treat that will make them "glow" with excitement. This Halloween, for the first time ever, fun-size packages of some of your favorite candy bars - SNICKERS, M&M'S Milk Chocolate and Peanut Candies, 3MUSKETEERS, MILKYWAY and TWIX - will glow in the dark. "Hallowee... read more

14. Give Your Car a Summer Spruce-Up

p (ARA) - As winter wanes, people start looking forward to summer rituals. For some, that might mean packing away heavy coats and sweaters in favor of windbreakers and t-shirts. For others, it could mean a glimpse of the first tulip of the season. And for those who love their cars, it means the chance to scrub off winter's grit and grime and administer some well-deserved TLC. "All yo... read more

15. Hand Surgeons Offer a No-Trick Method for Treating Your Family to Pumpkin Carving Safety

rick Method for Treating Your Family to Pumpkin Carving Safety (ARA) - The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) urges pumpkin carvers to use caution this Halloween season and take steps to prevent hand injuries when carving pumpkins. “While many people enjoy pumpkin carving, it can also be dangerous,” says Alexander Marcus, MD of Orthopedic Associates of Edison, N.J. “Each... read more

16. Holiday Shopping Gets Easier

Are you tired of being dragged from store to store in the mall by your kids while they shop and give you dirty looks for suggesting that those leopard print boots may not be very practical? As the holiday season begins to wear especially hard on parents, many welcome anything that can make their lives easier. In the last year, several companies have begun thinking about the dynamic between paren... read more

17. IRAs Make Dollars and Sense

Are you saving money towards your retirement? For many, setting up an individual retirement arrangement (IRA) can provide some peace of mind for retirement years. IRAs are personal savings plans that offer you tax advantages to set aside money for your retirement or, in some plans, for certain education expenses. Being able to deduct your benefits may be an incentive to contribute to an IRA. Co... read more

18. It's a Jungle in There: Creating a Tropical Paradise in Your Home

Bold floral prints. Palm leaf motifs. Bamboo garden torches. This season's tropical look is hotter than sand on bare feet at the beach. Even poolside serveware has taken on the look of the islands with bright fish motifs, umbrella drink picks and monkey swizzle sticks. Why the obsession with all things tropical? "It's reminiscent of leisurely vacations and offers an escape from people... read more

19. Keep Odors at Bay in Your Home Pleasant Smells Evoke Beautiful Memories

Special memories can be triggered by lots of different things - something you see, a sound, and especially a smell. Odor-related memories are among the most powerful, often without our even realizing it, according to Dr. Rachel Herz, visiting professor of psychology at Brown University and leading expert on the psychology of smell. A memory triggered by a scent is more emotionally intense ... read more

20. Kids Dish about the True Meaning of Christmas, Moms' Roles in Pulling the Holidays Together and Hot Gifts on Their Wish Lists

Decorating, cooking, cleaning and more. When it comes to preparing for a picture perfect holiday season, there is one holiday elf that's busy at work - Mom. According to the KidzEyes Holiday Wish List and Habits survey, 64 percent of kids say that their moms bear the brunt of responsibility for making sure the Christmas season is bright versus a mere 1 percent who say dad does his fair share.read more

21. Maintenance Tips for Winterizing Your Car

Winter. Temperatures and wind chills that can take your breath away. Snow and ice that make stepping outside a dangerous proposition. You know all too well how winter affects you. It is important to take a moment to think about how it affects your car as well. After all, you don't want to be stranded in those sub-zero temperatures. If you live where it snows, you know the damage that snow, ice,... read more

22. Overindulgences Can Leave Their Mark for a Lifetime

"It's O.K., I can be bad just this once . . ." If you have ever said that to yourself after a wild shopping spree or overindulging on junk food, you may be in for a rude awakening. Even temporary indulgences can leave Americans grappling with tight-fitting jeans and bloated credit card balances for years. Just over the past few months, Americans collectively packed on 292,000,000 pounds and $9... read more

23. Pack Your Kids a Healthy School Lunch

Now that school is back in session, parents around the country are facing the same dilemma: what to pack in their kids' lunchboxes. The main course is usually easy - a sandwich or leftovers from dinner the night before; but what should you pack for their snacks? "There are a lot of good options out there that make nutritional contributions to a child's daily intake," says Lisa Katic, ... read more

24. Proper Care Ensures Long Life for Vinyl Pool Liners

Homeowners with backyard swimming pools depend on vinyl pool liners to keep their pools looking beautiful season after season. Nearly 70 percent of the residential pools in the United States rely on durable and easy to clean printed flexible vinyl to protect the interior pool surface from environmental elements and manmade conditions. From sunlight and temperature fluctuation to chemicals... read more