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How to Save More Than 900 Calories A Week
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How to Use Facebook to Save Lives
Right now, more than 118,000 people in the U.S. need a new organ, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. One of the best ways to get new people to sign up for the donor list? Facebook. In May 2012, when Facebook added a new feature that allowed users to add their organ donor status on their timeline, 13,012 new people across the country signed up to be donors—in just one day, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Transplantation.
That’s about the number of people that could be expected to sign up in a three-week span during that time of year, according to the study. Pretty phenomenal, huh? Especially considering that just one organ donor can save up to eight lives, according to OrganDonor.gov.
Here’s how it works: When you add your donor status to your timeline, it shows up on your friends’ newsfeeds—just as with any other status update. (And in the event that you haven’t registered yet but want to, this feature also gives you a link to sign up to be an organ donor online.) So if you have a couple hundred Facebook friends and you update your organ donor status, your good deed starts trending (especially if your friends share your status)—encouraging others to follow suit.
To see what effect this has on donor registrations, researchers looked at data for the first 13 days the feature was available last May. While the dramatic increase in new donors did level off by the end of the period examined, a whopping 39,818 new donors signed up to be organ donors during the span. Plus, just 30 percent of Facebook users had the timeline at that point—which means the remaining 70 percent of people on the social network couldn’t yet use the organ donor update feature (but now can).
What more incentive do you need to list your donor status on Facebook? Oh, and while you’re at it, you might want to use social media to help spread the word about any other causes you’re involved in, too—because helping others is definitely something to “Like.”
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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7 Ways to Save Money on Vacation
Vacationing on a budget doesn’t need to involve six layovers and questionable bed linens. But unfortunately, you may need to be a little sneakier this year when it comes to saving on travel. This summer, prices for hotels and domestic flights are up four percent from last year, according to Hotwire.com’s recent State of Summer Travel Report.
Before you try to convince yourself that a stay-cation really is as good as a tropical getaway, use these tips to score the blissful trip you deserve:
Stay put in July
Sure, a Fourth of July vacation sounds ideal, but it may also cost you. According to reports by Hotwire and Priceline, June and August airfare will be slightly cheaper than packing up in July. And if you can swing it, planning your trip for right after Labor Day (September 2) will score you huge discounts, says Clem Bason, president of the Hotwire Group.
Avoid weekend travel
Flying from weekend to weekend may be the best option for your work schedule, but it’s the worst for your wallet. “Everyone wants to do that in the summer, and because the planes are already very full, your prices spike for those departures and returns,” says Bason. “If you’re willing to book weekday to weekday for a 7-day trip—preferably on a Tuesday or Wednesday—you can save about 10 percent over a weekend departure.”
Spend more time searching for flights
Airfare search engines are great, but they’re not foolproof—so don’t assume you can find the lowest fare with just one click. Always expand your search to include nearby airports, says Bason, since some lesser-known private airports are starting to offer commercial flights. “Half the time, you don’t even know these airports exist,” says Bason.
If you’re traveling with a few people, make sure to search for seats individually before you search for them together. If a flight only has three seats left at one price and you’re looking for four, they’ll bump you up to the next price bracket, says Bason. Plus, you might still be able to change your seats later on so you’re sitting together.
Book your hotel, then keep looking
You know you can save a ton by booking at the last minute, but you also don’t want to deal with the anxiety of possibly getting stuck in a bed bug-ridden, half-star lodge. Bason’s suggestion: Book a hotel online with a liberal cancellation policy (ideally, one you can cancel at no charge up to 24-hours before the reservation). Then take another look at the last-minute deals the week before your vacation. If you can cancel on the same day at no charge—or if you’re truly planning an impromptu trip—check out the Hotel Tonight app or Priceline Negotiator app. Both tools show you same-day hotel reservations at seriously reduced prices.
Don’t pay extra for bags
With many airlines charging $ 30 for the first checked bag, it may be worth it to skip packing that fourth pair of heels. “Before you fly, know what your airline’s baggage requirements are and stay under them,” says Brian Ek, travel expert for Priceline.com. Check the airline’s website for their exact size and weight dimensions since these can vary from carrier to carrier, and check your bag before you leave the house with your bathroom scale—if it doesn’t fit, just weigh yourself holding the suitcase and subtract your own weight.
Bundle your trip
Even if you’re traveling solo, you can get a deal by purchasing your flight, hotel, and car service together. The reason: most sites will only show you the total price instead of an itemized bill, and airlines and hotels are more comfortable giving steep discounts when you can’t actually see the final price. “They don’t want to be seen as discounting,” says Ek.
Consider heading someplace new
There are a few travel options that are going to be particularly cheap this summer. For a nearby trip, try Washington, D.C. Due to the recent budget cuts from the sequester, fewer business travelers are coming in for agency meetings, say Bason. As a result, the hotels are struggling to fill rooms and dropping prices. Another place hungry for travelers is Vancouver, which added resorts for the winter Olympics in 2010 and is seeing many of them go unused, says Bason. And if you’re heading to Europe, check out the rates in Berlin. They recently added thousands of new hotel rooms in anticipation of a new airport that has been delayed, says Bason.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Quick and Easy Travel Tips
The Word That Can Save Your Life
You know that heart disease is deadly, but are you sure you know the warning signs of a heart attack? Turns out women don’t always experience the same heart attack symptoms that men do. And that’s a big deal, considering that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, and more women than men die from it each year, according to recent statistics from the American Heart Association.
So what signs should you be looking out for? More than just chest pain, says Tracey Stevens, M.D., spokesperson for the American Heart Association and cardiologist with Saint Luke’s Cardiovascular Consultants. “Anything from the waist up can possibly be a symptom,” says Stevens. That includes shortness of breath, indigestion, pain between the shoulder blades or jaw, dizziness, and nausea—just to name a few.
So it’s crucial to identify the signs and symptoms when you see them. Use this simple pneumonic—PULSE—as your cheat sheet:
Persistent chest pain
Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting
Lightheadedness, dizziness
Shortness of breath
Excessive sweating
If you have these symptoms, don’t ignore them—get to an ER, STAT. And in the meantime, check out more ways to protect your ticker, here.
Via Fox News
photo: iStockPhoto/Thinkstock
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Jessica Alba’s go-to tips for making affordable, stylish nontoxic choices for your home and family! Buy The Honest Life today!
6 Simple Ways to Save Water
Looking for a simple way to green your beauty routine? Cut down on your shower time! Actress Kristen Bell, an ambassador for Neutrogena Naturals (and former Women’s Health cover star), teamed up with the skincare brand and The Nature Conservancy to encourage you to pledge to take shorter showers during the month of October. The Jump In. Jump Out. Join In. campaign aims to conserve five million gallons of water and bring awareness to domestic water issues.
“The average US household wastes about 10,000 gallons of water every year: enough to fill a backyard swimming pool,” says Kristen in a press release. And according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American family uses around 400 gallons of water per day. Of these, 70 percent occurs indoors. Now that’s a LOT of H20.
But don’t panic. You don’t have to forgo lathering up altogether (after all, it’s completely understandable that you want to look presentable—and feel clean). There are many easy ways to make shorter (or less frequent) showers work for you—without sacrificing your hygiene, according to Renée Loux, eco-expert and Women’s Health advisor. Here, her six tips on how to conserve water, while looking and feeling shower-fresh.
Replace your showerhead
A regular showerhead uses around five gallons of water per minute, which can really add up. Switch to a low-flow option, which can save around half of the water you would regularly use, says Loux.
Detangle beforehand
Knotted, tangled hair is not only annoying, but can also sabotage your shower-shortening efforts. The solution? Brush your hair and completely detangle it before getting in the shower, Loux says. That way, tending your tresses is easier, less time-consuming, and much more environmentally friendly.
Wax, don’t shave
Toss your razors and book some waxing appointments, stat. “You spend a lot less time in the shower if you stick to waxing,” says Loux. “Shaving may be less expensive, but waxing saves a lot of time—and water.”
Time yourself
This may be the hardest one to stick to if you love the feel-good effects of a long, hot shower or bath. But, by taking one to five minutes off of your shower, you can save up to 1,000 gallons of water per month. To make sure that you limit your time, Loux suggests making a mini playlist. “Find two songs that you like, and know that once they’ve played, your shower time’s up,” she says. Even easier? Set an alarm on your phone.
Give towelettes a try
These beauty problem-solvers are great for a quick, faucet-less freshening up. To cleanse your face, try Korres Pomegranate Cleansing & Make Up Removing Wipes for Oily And Combination Skin ($ 12, sephora.com). “They use nourishing botanical and healthy oils, so you feel moisturized and not completely dry,” says Loux. And if you’re worried about B.O., swipe Crystal Body Deodorant Towelettes ($ 10, drugstore.com) under your arms. They’re made of all-natural mineral salts, which eliminate the bacteria that causes body odor, she says.
Style strategically
“Dry shampoo can extend your hair one day after your shower,” says Loux, who recommends Lulu Organics Hair Powder ($ 30, luluorganics.com). Just sprinkle the powder into your hands and then rub it through the roots of your hair to fake complete cleanliness. Another option: Opt for an updo. Slightly dirty hair is more voluminous and will hold a style better than squeaky-clean strands, according to Loux. And there’s no need to get fancy: A topknot or ballerina bun will disguise a semi-greasy scalp in no time.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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I wouldn’t exactly call it a beach read, but Cooler Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living, a new green guide …
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