Power Berries

For decades, many state governments held a ban on cultivating black currants due to concerns that the plant could spread a destructive tree fungus. Today, growing these tangy berries is once again legal in most of the country. With more vitamin c than oranges and antioxidant levels that rival those of blueberries, this nutrition hero delivers healthy doses of potassium, vitamin B6, and soluble fiber.

Look for fresh berries at the farmers' markets in late summer, or frozen berries year-round. You can also pick up black currant juice, soda or preserves to get your daily dose.

Bewildering Spa Moments Explained

When you go in for your facial or some body treatments, you'll likely encounter some form of product pitch, so be prepared. If the aesthetician starts mentioning products during your service, just say, "I'm happy to hear your recommendations, but I'm really here to relax, so please save them for the end."

After your service, if you don't want to purchase anything, ask the aesthetician to write down the products she's recommended and let her know you'll think it over. Once you say you're not interested right now, she shouldn't say another word. If they push it, you should consider telling the spa manager.

5 Tips to Keep You Energized

3. Focus on one thing at a time. Multi-tasking eats into productivity and you'll feel motivated when you cross something off of your list.

4. Take a break from the same old routine- go to a different lunch spot, explore a new store, or spend an hour sitting at the park. Change does a body good.

5. Pack something essential for the office- citrus essential oils (lemon, orange, grapefruit) help energize, so keep a mist or candle handy.

5 Tips to Keep You Energized

Labor Day’s come and gone, leaving most of us stuck behind a desk all day. Incorporate these 5 tips into your routine to boost your energy level.

1. Wake muscles with a stretch to increase blood circulation and improve balance and posture. An extra tip: Repeat this every hour or so throughout the workday to stay energized.

2. Go hot and cold- in the shower. Turn water as cold as you can stand it, then back to warm. Repeat 2-3 times.

Are Mineral Makeups Really Healthier?

So the latest trend in beauty products is mineral makeup. But are they really more pure and natural?
Mineral makeup brands tend to eliminate irritants like fragrances, binders, synthetic dyes and preservatives. However, it's important to recognize that not all manufacturers do this; any product containing minerals can be marked as mineral makeup, even if it contains other not-so-natural ingredients.
So it's up to you to determine what's pure and what's not. Look at the ingredient label first (anything ending with "paraben" is a bad sign), and don't be fooled by the words “all natural” or “mineral formula”.

Treat Adult Acne in 3 Steps

With Murad Acne, treating adult acne has never been easier. In just 3 simple steps, you can beat acne for good.
In the first step, you'll use the pore clarifying cleanser, which kills 99.9% of surface bacteria. And while it deep cleans, it also calms and soothes your skin, leaving you with a touchably soft face.
Then the exfoliating acne treatment gel will penetrate deep into pores to clean and heal existing blemishes while preventing new ones. It will also slough of skin cell build-up.
In the final step, the skin perfecting lotion will calm redness and irritation to leave you with a clean feeling.

Potassium Keeps You Toned

If you're trying to build lean muscle, an effective combo may be strength training and... peaches? Studies show that foods high in potassium encourage tones, healthy muscles and will give you more lean muscle mass. Some other potassium-rich foods are potatoes, beans, yogurt, beets, halibut, salmon, raisins, bananas and blackberries.

Don't Let Acne Control Your Life

If you’ve been searching for a way to control your acne with little success, try the latest line of spa-quality skincare products from Murad Acne. They offer a variety of options for cleansers, moisturizers, exfoliating gels and SPF products to help control your acne and give you confidence in yourself and for your life.

10 Short Supermarket Rules

6. Pay more for wholesome ingredients and take comfort knowing you’ll eat less of them.

7. Try to eat a wide variety of different species.

8. Eat food from animals that eat grass; corn isn’t natural food for beef or anything else.

9. Cook, and if possible, grow some of your own food.

10. Eat whole meals at tables, with other people when possible, and enjoy it!

10 Short Supermarket Rules

1. Don’t eat anything your grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.

2. Always avoid foods containing ingredients you can’t pronounce.

3. Be suspicious of food products that make health claims.

4. Shop the perimeters of the supermarket (fresh foods and dairy only); the inside tends to be the stuff in boxes that isn’t so good for you.

5. Don’t eat anything that wouldn’t eventually rot.

10 Short Supermarket Rules

Are you always left wondering just what is healthy to eat and what isn’t? Maneuvering the aisles of the market can be harder than ever before with pesticides, high fructose corn syrup and harsh preservatives on the back of every box. Follow these rules in the supermarket and you’ll feel a resurgence in your health and happiness in no time.

The Best Reason to Rent?

4. Renting gives you flexibility

Buying a home is a big commitment, if you need to move for any reason- say, for work- your property would need to appreciate at least 10% for you to recover your sales costs. That typically takes about five years. Renting allows you the freedom and mobility you need to find the right job before you tie yourself into a massive home investment.

4 Great Reasons to Rent

3. More options are available to renters

With the house market crashing, more owners are converting their properties into rentals or providing sweet incentives to lure prospective tenants. Many owners are offering as many as three free months of rent to attract renters. And, modern apartments offer amenities that may be unaffordable in a new home.

4 Great Reasons to Rent

2. Tax deductions are overstated

Conventional wisdom claims that you save money when buying a home because mortgage interest is tax deductible. But one study points out that more than half of homeowners don't receive a break because, even with mortgage interest and property taxes, their total deductions do not exceed the standard federal tax deduction ($10,900 for couples and $5,450 for singles).

4 Great Reasons to Rent

1. It can save you money.

According to popular myth, renters are just throwing money away. But when you buy a home, you're stuck with closing feeds, mortgage interest, property taxes, private homeowners' insurance and maintenance. All return nothing on your investment. You're better off banking your money or putting it into the stock market. A recent study indicates that stocks provided investors with nearly 4.6% higher average returns in the past 45 years than real estate.

4 Great Reasons to Rent

Feel stuck in a renters rut and dreaming of buying your own home? With the recent mortgage crisis, that might not be the right choice for you after all. Many people don’t realize the countless unforeseen costs of owning their own home. So stop stressing and stay tuned for four great reasons to stick to renting.

Top Detox Foods: Green Tea

5. Green Tea

We all know by now that this is the drink of Gods, but why's it good for detoxing?

Rich in antioxidants, green tea is one of the healthiest ways to get more fluids into your system. And bonus: it contains catechins, which speed up liver activity.

Top Detox Foods: Watercress

3. Watercress

Throw a handful of these peppery little greens into salads, soups and sandwiches. Watercress has a diuretic effect that helps to move things through your system. It’s also rich in minerals like iron, calcium and folic acid, and vitamins A and C. Some even believe this leafy green has cancer-preventing properties.

Top Detox Foods: Lemons

2. Lemons

An essential part of a detox diet is keeping the fluids flowing and washing out the toxins. While water is great, fresh lemonade is even better. It's loaded with vitamin C, known as the detox vitamin, which helps to convert toxins into a water-soluble form that's easily flushed away. The bottom line: start squeezing!

Top Detox Foods: Leafy Greens

1. Green Leafy Vegetables

Foods like spinach, watercress and kale are all great for flushing out the system. Their chlorophyll helps to flush out environmental toxins like heavy metals and pesticides, and they protect the liver. Eat them raw, thrown them in a broth, or blend up a juice or smoothie with fruit for a yummy and healthful alternative to sugar-filled juices or soda.