(NewsUSA) – For many of us, sticking to our health routine can be difficult. Morning runs outside get replaced with snuggling under the covers, and healthy eating goes by the wayside as sweets become the norm. Well, you can indulge and still stick to a healthy routine with just a few simple tweaks to your lifestyle. Valerie Waters, celebrity fitness trainer and contributor to publications like In Style, Fitness, Self and People, offers motivational tips just for you:
1. Get your Omega-3s, even if you don’t like fish. The body produces low levels of Omega-3s, and the average diet contains insufficient amounts, so supplementing is important. Omega-3s have heart, brain and eye benefits. For those who would rather not swallow a giant pill, the makers of Centrum just launched ProNutrients, a new line of supplements from the most trusted multivitamin, with an Omega-3 that comes in a concentrated MiniGel.
2. Eat dinner earlier. When you eat dinner between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., you are less likely to munch early or eat something late at night.
3. Eat seasonal fruits and veggies. Pick the brightest fruits and veggies and experiment with new flavors. Fresh produce improves your skin, gives you more energy and builds up your immune system. Options include butternut squash, kale, sweet potatoes and grapefruit. Complement your choices with a multivitamin, especially one for your specific health needs. Recently launched, Centrum Specialist multivitamins with heart, vision, energy or prenatal benefits gives you confidence you’ve made a smart nutritional choice.
4. Quench your thirst before you feel it. Dry rooms and extra heat cause you to lose more water in the winter. If your lips are chapped or you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Drink a glass of water during each meal and while you workout to help stay hydrated.
5. Get off the couch, but stay close to it. If you don’t want to go outside to work out, modify your routine to exercise indoors. Squats, lunges, planks and pushups can all be done in your own home. Aim for at least 15 to 20 minutes a day. Also, park farther away while shopping at the mall, and use the stairs when possible.
For more of Waters’ healthy living tips, visit www.facebook.com/Centrum.
Beat the Winter Blahs
Energy-Efficient Heating Keeps Cost-Conscious Homes Cozy
(NewsUSA) – With many Americans watching their budgets, heating homes has become an unwanted, though necessary, expense.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, many American homes will experience higher heating costs this winter due to increased fuel prices. Thankfully, simple behavior changes and energy-efficient appliances can help homeowners cut their heating bills and still enjoy the same level of comfort.
“Energy-efficient heating means that you use less energy to heat the same space,” said Phil Weeks, chief operating officer of Rinnai America Corporation, a company that manufactures gas heating appliances. “This saved energy translates into reduced utility costs for homeowners.”
Some energy-efficient heating devices, like Rinnai’s hydronic furnace, which works in conjunction with the company’s tankless water heater, can heat a home while still conserving energy. Featuring a high-efficiency motor that offers up to 48 percent better efficiency than a comparable traditional motor, the hydronic furnace is powered by Rinnai’s gas-modulating tankless technology, so it uses only the energy needed to maintain a room’s desired temperature. Because the unit utilizes hot water from the tankless water heater to heat air, the heat it provides is less dry than that of a typical forced-air furnace.
Another efficient heating option is to forego a traditional furnace in favor of a direct vent wall furnace. These ductless units are capable of comfortably heating whole homes or specific zones, depending on the need, and save energy by constantly adjusting heat output and blower speed to meet current demand. Rinnai’s gas-modulating direct vent wall furnace also can serve as a supplementary heat source for basements, guest rooms, room additions and generally hard-to-heat areas, thus reducing the demand placed on a home’s central heating system.
Of course, homeowners can take steps to help their current heating units operate on less energy. Consider the following efforts:
* Seal and weather strip doors and windows to prevent heat from escaping the home.
* Reverse the direction of ceiling fans (so they turn clockwise) to push warm air down from the ceiling.
* Minimize the use of bathroom and kitchen hood fans as they can quickly remove heat from the air.
For more information, visit www.rinnai.us.
Winter Opens Homes to Pest Invasion
(NewsUSA) – Surviving winter can be an endurance marathon for the average house. After the trials of hurricane season come the bitter cold and precipitation brought on by winter. Severe winter weather can freeze pipes, cause roof cave-ins and lead to extensive water damage — all of which leave a house vulnerable to winter pest invasions.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates each winter costs the economy several million dollars in repairs and damage control. 2010′s series of epic storms cost $2.6 billion in property losses, as reported by the Insurance Information Institute.
“The destruction of Hurricane Irene was followed by September floods and October snow storms that caused power outages in several areas. If the early weather is any indication of what’s yet to come this season, we can expect snowfall similar to last winter. Now is the right time for homeowners to quickly repair damage that would otherwise give opportunistic winter pests access to their home,” advises Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).
The most common winter pests are rodents, but a slew of insects will also eagerly warm themselves by your furnace and feast on your dry goods if given a chance. Cockroaches, ants, stink bugs and spiders are some of the usual suspects.
These tenacious insects can find points of entry anywhere, especially if winter weather results in structural damage. Issues like missing shingles, water damage to roofs or walls, burst pipes and even small cracks leave your home susceptible to infestation. Rodents are known for their ability to fit in openings as small as a coin.
“Ripped screens and broken doors or windows will admit pests faster than you can spot them. Pay attention to your home’s insulation, like weather stripping, and look for signs of mice in places near moisture or food,” says Henriksen.
Don’t wait until you’re knee-deep in ruined holiday decorations to start thinking about pest control after a storm, because a pest infestation can be costly to you and your home.
If you have an infestation, contact a pest professional to see how you should proceed. Get more pest control tips at www.pestworld.org.
Hunkering Down With Home Improvement: 3 Sensible Projects
(NewsUSA) – With many Americans watching their budgets, heating homes has become an unwanted, though necessary, expense.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, many American homes will experience higher heating costs this winter due to increased fuel prices. Thankfully, simple behavior changes and energy-efficient appliances can help homeowners cut their heating bills and still enjoy the same level of comfort.
“Energy-efficient heating means that you use less energy to heat the same space,” said Phil Weeks, chief operating officer of Rinnai America Corporation, a company that manufactures gas heating appliances. “This saved energy translates into reduced utility costs for homeowners.”
Some energy-efficient heating devices, like Rinnai’s hydronic furnace, which works in conjunction with the company’s tankless water heater, can heat a home while still conserving energy. Featuring a high-efficiency motor that offers up to 48 percent better efficiency than a comparable traditional motor, the hydronic furnace is powered by Rinnai’s gas-modulating tankless technology, so it uses only the energy needed to maintain a room’s desired temperature. Because the unit utilizes hot water from the tankless water heater to heat air, the heat it provides is less dry than that of a typical forced-air furnace.
Another efficient heating option is to forego a traditional furnace in favor of a direct vent wall furnace. These ductless units are capable of comfortably heating whole homes or specific zones, depending on the need, and save energy by constantly adjusting heat output and blower speed to meet current demand. Rinnai’s gas-modulating direct vent wall furnace also can serve as a supplementary heat source for basements, guest rooms, room additions and generally hard-to-heat areas, thus reducing the demand placed on a home’s central heating system.
Of course, homeowners can take steps to help their current heating units operate on less energy. Consider the following efforts:
* Seal and weather strip doors and windows to prevent heat from escaping the home.
* Reverse the direction of ceiling fans (so they turn clockwise) to push warm air down from the ceiling.
* Minimize the use of bathroom and kitchen hood fans as they can quickly remove heat from the air.
For more information, visit www.rinnai.us.
Community Gardens Make a Bountiful Oasis for East African Villages
In the Horn of Africa, barren landscapes and dirt fields surround large riverbeds that are totally dry. Herds of goats and camels, tired and emaciated, walk through parched lands in search of food and water. It’s the worst drought the region has seen in 60 years.
As ChildFund International continues its drought emergency operations across this region, it also remains focused on long-term development projects aimed at minimizing food crises.
In Kenya’s Turkana region, the Food for Assets program, operated by ChildFund International in conjunction with the U.N. World Food Program, is producing crops in a desert.
Program Turns Drought-Ravaged Villages into "Gardens of Eden"
(NewsUSA) – In the Horn of Africa, barren landscapes and dirt fields surround large riverbeds that are totally dry. Herds of goats and camels, tired and emaciated, walk through parched lands in search of food and water. It’s the worst drought the region has seen in 60 years.
As ChildFund International continues its drought emergency operations across this region, it also remains focused on long-term development projects aimed at minimizing food crises.
In Kenya’s Turkana region, the Food for Assets program, operated by ChildFund International in conjunction with the U.N. World Food Program, is producing crops in a desert.
“In the vegetable gardens, women tend spinach, tomatoes, green peppers, okra, watermelons, kale, maize and cowpeas,” said Anne Lynam Goddard, president and CEO of ChildFund. “It’s amazing to see how smart farming practices have transformed this community. In the midst of drought, we’ve discovered the Garden of Eden — it’s green everywhere!”
Six communities in the region are involved in the Food for Assets program, which sustains 3,000 households by teaching pastoralist communities techniques for irrigation and farming. The program provides families with food and goods in exchange for their work to build irrigation systems and community gardens.
Improved access to water for both humans and livestock increases crop production, reduces environmental degradation and improves pasture for livestock. In areas that lack access to permanent rivers, people are taught to use special pans to catch water that is used to grow crops like maize and sorghum.
Long reliant on food aid, people enrolled in the Food for Assets program receive their food rations for one year while they learn to utilize their new skills to provide food for themselves. Food aid is then reserved for the most vulnerable.
“Food for Assets is not an emergency relief effort,” Goddard said. “It’s a long-term development intervention that helps reduce a community’s vulnerability to future droughts. We’re strengthening communities and giving people the resources and training they need to rely on themselves.”
Cut Heating Costs by Winterizing Your Home
(NewsUSA) – In the Horn of Africa, barren landscapes and dirt fields surround large riverbeds that are totally dry. Herds of goats and camels, tired and emaciated, walk through parched lands in search of food and water. It’s the worst drought the region has seen in 60 years.
As ChildFund International continues its drought emergency operations across this region, it also remains focused on long-term development projects aimed at minimizing food crises.
In Kenya’s Turkana region, the Food for Assets program, operated by ChildFund International in conjunction with the U.N. World Food Program, is producing crops in a desert.
“In the vegetable gardens, women tend spinach, tomatoes, green peppers, okra, watermelons, kale, maize and cowpeas,” said Anne Lynam Goddard, president and CEO of ChildFund. “It’s amazing to see how smart farming practices have transformed this community. In the midst of drought, we’ve discovered the Garden of Eden — it’s green everywhere!”
Six communities in the region are involved in the Food for Assets program, which sustains 3,000 households by teaching pastoralist communities techniques for irrigation and farming. The program provides families with food and goods in exchange for their work to build irrigation systems and community gardens.
Improved access to water for both humans and livestock increases crop production, reduces environmental degradation and improves pasture for livestock. In areas that lack access to permanent rivers, people are taught to use special pans to catch water that is used to grow crops like maize and sorghum.
Long reliant on food aid, people enrolled in the Food for Assets program receive their food rations for one year while they learn to utilize their new skills to provide food for themselves. Food aid is then reserved for the most vulnerable.
“Food for Assets is not an emergency relief effort,” Goddard said. “It’s a long-term development intervention that helps reduce a community’s vulnerability to future droughts. We’re strengthening communities and giving people the resources and training they need to rely on themselves.”
Turn Your Winter Blahs Into Winter Ahs
For many of us, sticking to our health routine in the fall and winter can be difficult. Morning runs outside get replaced with snuggling under the covers, and healthy eating goes by the wayside as sweets become the norm during the holidays. Well, you can indulge and still stick to a healthy routine with just a few simple tweaks to your lifestyle. Valerie Waters, celebrity fitness trainer and contributor to publications like In Style, Fitness, Self and People, offers motivational tips just for you:
Take the Bite out of Pesky Mosquitoes
(NewsUSA) – Mosquitoes are breeding by the billions, and they are more than a minor outdoor nuisance. These blood-suckers can spread diseases such as West Nile virus, encephalitis, dengue fever and malaria. In the United States, West Nile virus is of most concern, which is why most municipalities monitor and sample mosquitoes and treat known mosquito breeding areas.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. documented 1,021 cases of West Nile Virus in 2010, of which 57 resulted in death.
Because of the ease with which mosquitoes can breed and spread disease, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) reminds homeowners to be vigilant about mosquito prevention, especially as excessive rain and flooding experienced by much of the country in recent weeks provides perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Many people may not be aware that mosquito season does not end when summer does, but actually lasts through October. The NPMA recommends the following preventive measures to safeguard you against mosquitoes:
* Prevent mosquito nesting and breeding sites by eliminating standing water and other sources of moisture in and around the home in flowerpots, water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, baby pools, sandboxes, children’s toys and other objects that can collect water. Mosquitoes need only about 1/2 inch of water to breed. To keep birdbath and pond water fresh, homeowners should add a fountain or drip system.
* Keep windows and doors properly screened. Repair even the smallest tear or hole.
* Clean clogged gutters, and periodically check them to ensure water is flowing freely.
* Ensure there is no standing water pooling under decks.
* Minimize outside activity between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
* If you must spend time outdoors during peak mosquito times, avoid wearing shorts or short-sleeved apparel, dark colors, loose-fitting garments, open-toe shoes and sweet-smelling perfumes or colognes. Instead, wear long pants and sleeves, and be sure to use an insect repellant containing DEET.
* If you are concerned about mosquito activity on your property, contact a pest management company or local mosquito abatement district that may be able to treat your back yard, specifically trees and shrubs where mosquitoes hide during the day.
For more information, visit www.pestworld.org.
Why Are Your Water Bills Increasing?
(NewsUSA) – It’s a common question. If consumption of water remains constant, or even goes down because of conservation, why does your rate go up? Unfortunately for consumers, there is no simple answer.
A number of factors contribute to fluctuating water bills. The primary reasons include the need to repair and/or replace aging water system infrastructure (the tens of thousands of miles of pipes buried underground) and stricter environmental regulations. These factors are coupled with decreases in federal and state funding.
While substantial federal support had been available for water and wastewater infrastructure in the past, this support has dropped significantly. This leaves the costs associated with maintaining and expanding drinking water systems to the utilities and their ratepayers.
Water utilities, and their
customers, face an enormous price to replace old pipes, many of which are 50 years old or older. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates the cost to replace old water distribution systems nationwide to be $400 billion over the next 20 years.
At present, the U.S. loses nearly two trillion gallons of clean water annually, at a cost of $2.6 billion, to broken and leaky pipes. Pipes in this poor condition also increase the risk of exposure to water-borne diseases.
Providing safe and affordable drinking water is at the heart of every water utility’s mission. This commitment, along with increasingly stringent federal and state water-quality standards, has improved drinking water but also increased the cost of providing that water.
Water utilities understand the need to keep rates as low as possible. That’s why hundreds of utilities across the country are members of organizations such as the Water Research Foundation (www.waterrf.org). The Foundation provides the opportunity for utilities to pool their resources to conduct drinking water research.
By keeping abreast of emerging treatment and delivery methods and sharing best practices, utilities can continue to provide the highest-quality water.
