Drink Fluids!

Quench your thirst. Fluids can do wonders for your waistline. A recently released study found that after men and women drank 17 ounces of water, their metabolism increased by 30 percent within 10 minutes and peaked about 40 minutes later.

You don't have to drown yourself. A recent National Academy of Sciences report found that most women need eleven 8-ounce cups of fluid a day...but it doesn't have to be strictly water, either. A cup of tea counts. Plus tea also has other health benefits as well -- antioxidants. Juice and an occasional cola will work too. Just watch the sugar.

Wine and booze are beneficial. Cardiologist Holly S. Andersen, M.D., an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, explains, "I do not encourage non-drinkers to drink, but I also do not encourage women who drink a glass of wine to stop, because it may actually be good for your heart."

Surprisingly, booze counts towards your daily fluid intake quota -- meaning, you can drink a beer (or two) in moderation provided you are not at risk for certain types of hormonal cancers. Check with your doctor.

Vegetable Juices

Drink vegetable juice, but don't expect it to replace whole vegetables needed in your daily diet. Television commercials want you to believe that you can drink your veggies instead of chewing them. Don't go for it! Whole veggies are still the best way to get your daily dose.

Vegetable juices are fairly rich in vitamins and minerals and low in calories, drinking 6 ounces will typically give you 60% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C and nearly half the suggested daily intake of beta carotene. However, commercial varieties have lots of sodium (about 600 mg) and provide very little fiber compared to whole vegetables. Look for "no salt added" vegetable juices for the healthiest alternative.

Laziness, Exercise and the Health of the Union

Judging by the obesity rates, Americans are increasingly becoming more sluggish these days. A new study suggests that adults in Appalachia and a handful of Southern states are less likely to be active if there isn't a real need to move.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated activity levels in every U.S. county using data from 2004 to 2008. The report found that residents in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee and Oklahoma are least likely to exercise in their leisure time than people living elsewhere.

The country's most active residents live on the West Coast, Colorado, Minnesota and parts of the Northeast.

What's the driving force behind the study? The areas with the highest levels of obesity and diagnosed diabetes were also the most inactive.

Beneficial Vegetables Your Family Should be Eating!

Choose Cruciferous Vegetables. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, mustard greens and brussels sprouts all contain nitrogen compounds called indoles, which may protect against certain cancers. These dark-green vegetables are also great sources of cancer-fighting carotenoids (most notably, beta carotene) and they all supply generous amounts of vitamin C and fiber.

Check out broccoli. Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse! One cup of chopped broccoli supplies a whopping 90% of the daily recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin A in the form of beta carotene, 200% of the RDA for vitamin C, significant amounts of niacin, calcium, thiamine, phosphorous and 25% of your daily fiber needs. In addition to these valuable assets, broccoli has reportedly been a possible cancer fighter. Some of the substances in broccoli, such as sulforaphane, are thought to help protect against cancer. All of these benefits and only 45 calories!

How to remove baby formula from washable fabrics.

Baby formula is a protein-based stain. Protein stains are animal based in nature and require careful attention to prevent damaging the garment.

If the spot is on white clothing treat the stain with undiluted lemon juice and place the item in the sun to dry.
Most likely, the stain is on a colored fabric or shirt. To treat the stain on colored clothing, coat the spot with a paste made of cool water and unseasoned meat tenderizer and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Once dry, brush away the paste and launder as usual.

Other options:
Soak in an enzyme solution according to the item's and manufacturer's instructions.
In a pinch, wipe formula spills and spit-ups with moist baby wipes. Rinse with cool water, then treat any remaining stain as quickly as possible.

Drink Tea

Tea contains enough fluoride to help prevent tooth decay, and is also rich in substances called polyphenols (polyhydroxy phenol), which act as antioxidants and thus may help protect against cancer.

Be Active.

As many as 12% of all deaths -- 250,000 per year -- in the U.S. may be attributed indirectly to the lack of regular physical activity, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Only about one in four Americans exercise enough to be considered physically active, according to the government's guidelines.

By exercising regularly you're likely to become trimmer and fitter even if your weight stays the same, since you're building muscle and burning body fat. As a suggestion, begin by walking for 30 minutes each day  for a week, then gradually increase the distance, walking speed or time spent on your daily routine.

Working in your garden is another great alternative to add to your regimen. Using the old-fashioned gas-powered push lawnmower will burn 420 to 480 calories an hour -- that's the equivalent of a game of tennis! Even the less strenuous forms of gardening like weeding, trimming and raking can burn about 300 calories an hour if you're working energetically and at a constant pace.