Month: June 2018

2018-06-26T15:53:00

(BPT) – Whatever the occasion, you can take advantage of the sun and extra space outside for the perfect backyard party. Let these tips help you plan and get your outdoor space ready for guests.

1. Cluster the conversation spots

When planning your backyard layout, think beyond the patio table, and provide more than enough seating for all. Arrange sofas and chairs into conversation clusters to keep people outside and enjoying each other’s company. It’s also smart to provide coffee tables, side tables and other spaces where people can set their drinks and snacks. Don’t be afraid to borrow pieces from a friend or neighbor to make the party set complete.

2. Add the right lighting

Consider the time of day of your gathering and what that means for your lighting. Intense late-day sun glare is unpleasant for all, but a few strategically placed patio plants can make a dramatic difference (and make the space feel more intimate). For the post-sundown festivities, light up the party zone with holiday lights along deck rails or zig-zagged overhead. Add a fire pit, and, if it’s chilly, an extra stash of throw blankets and jackets and you’ll have a cozy, well-lit space for those late-night talks.

3. Keep flying invaders at bay

No one likes it when uninvited guests like flying, biting insects show up. Bottles of insect repellent in a conspicuous place are a good bet on buggy nights, but keep these (and the spraying area) well away from the food. For a chemical-free alternative, set out a fan or two on a low setting to stir up enough of a breeze to keep the pests away.

4. Get your game on

For the ultimate crowd mixer and crowd pleaser, keep a few fun and easy yard games on hand. Dust off the old bocce ball set. Or, with a few simple materials from your local hardware store, you can create and customize DIY versions of your favorites, including bean-bag toss, ring toss or even target shooting with water guns.

5. Keep the snacks simple and stress free

The secret to a good party is not stressing over every detail of the décor and the same goes for the food. An array of delicious but simple snacks are more than enough to get the party started. Soft pretzels are always a party favorite, but did you know that most people — 69 percent of them, to be exact — prefer to eat their soft pretzels dipped? Another 28 percent prefer cheese toppings. For the perfect snack to spice up the festivities, include a batch of Superpretzel Parmesan Garlic Bites or Superpretzel Everything Pretzel Bites (see recipes below).

Parmesan Garlic Bites

Ingredients:

9-12 Superpretzel Soft Pretzel Bites

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons wet, minced garlic

2 tablespoons dry parsley

2 tablespoons pretzel salt

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, garlic, pretzel salt, parsley and cheese and set aside.

Deep fry the pretzel bites in your favorite cooking oil at 360 degrees F for about 2 minutes.

When done, dredge the pretzel bites into the oil and cheese mixture.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Everything Pretzel Bites

Ingredients:

20 Superpretzel Soft Pretzel Bites

Everything bagel seasoning

Melted butter

Optional: whipped cream cheese (for dipping)

Directions:

Prepare soft pretzel bites according to instructions on the box.

Lightly coat soft pretzel bites with melted butter.

Season soft pretzel bites with everything bagel seasoning and soft pretzel salt.

Bake in 350 degree F oven until golden brown.

Serve with whipped cream cheese.

2018-06-26T07:05:00

(BPT) – Staying hydrated is a necessity, but sometimes it’s difficult to tell when your body needs water, especially during warmer months. Experts say on average men need 15 cups (3.6 liters) and women need 11 cups (2.6 liters) of water per day. Our bodies are about 60 percent water, and just losing 1.5 percent can be the tipping point for mild dehydration. Culligan International, a world leader in the treatment of water, is offering tips to keep you and your people well hydrated.

1. Bring water on the go. Going to work, the park, the pool or the library? Wherever you are headed, always bring a reusable water bottle. This goes for your people too. Have each member of your household choose their own water bottle and label it with their name. Allowing young children to pick a favorite water bottle provides added incentive to take frequent water breaks. Set the water bottles in a high-traffic area or close to the door so you don’t forget them when leaving home. And refill, refill, refill whenever empty.

2. Drink good water. Not all water is created equal. Filling your reusable bottle with filtered water can ensure it not only tastes better, but is also better for you. Home filtration or reverse osmosis (RO) systems work to reduce contaminants that may be in your tap water. While installing such a system used to require a dedicated faucet that meant drilling a hole in your counter or losing a soap dispenser, the Culligan ClearLink PRO alleviates this need. ClearLink PRO is a wireless control system that delivers filtered water from your main faucet with the touch of a button. The wireless button can be placed virtually anywhere, making access to great-tasting water easier and less conspicuous than ever.

3. Establish hydration routine. If you have trouble remembering to drink water, establish a drinking routine. Start your day with a glass of water, followed by a glass at and between each meal and a glass before bed. Or, drink a small glass of water at the beginning of each hour. Establishing a drinking routine is an easy way to ensure that you reach the recommended water intake each day.

4. Increase intake with workouts. A good rule of thumb is to drink water before, during and after a workout. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for fluid loss. An extra 1.4 to 2.5 cups (.33 to .60 liters) of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour requires more fluid intake. How much depends on how much you sweat and the duration and type of exercise. And don’t rely on water fountains; be sure to bring your reusable water bottle to workout sessions.

5. Load up on fruits and veggies. Fruits and vegetables are high in water content and an excellent way to complement water intake and stay hydrated. Watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries are among fruits with the highest water content. For vegetables, it’s cucumbers, iceberg lettuce, celery, tomatoes and zucchini. Before eating, be sure to rinse produce under filtered water to safely clean and maintain the health benefits. Fruits and veggies are also easy to serve at home and eat on the go.

For more information about water filtration solutions, visit www.heyculligan.com.

2018-06-26T10:01:00

(BPT) – Between work, kids, pets and more, everyday life can feel like … a lot. Add summer schedules to the mix, and things can get downright chaotic.

Thankfully, retailers are stepping up with convenient new delivery and pickup options. To help you save time this summer, we’ve listed here all the latest ways Target is helping more guests across the U.S. save time and get back to fun in the sun:

Just pull up, and drive out

Say the kids are zonked in the backseat after a day at the pool, wearing wet bathing suits and, of course, no shoes. No sweat. With Order Pickup, you can simply order your items through the retailer’s app, then pull up in the parking lot, where folks in red and khaki will bring your bags right out to the trunk within two minutes. You’ve got your stuff, and can head home in peace — all without waking up the kids.

Home delivery, within hours

Online shopping no longer requires a wait — which is nice when the neighborhood kids have decided the party’s at your place this afternoon! It’s now possible to simply place an order online with Shipt for groceries and other items (extra pool rafts, perhaps?), and have them delivered to your doorstep in as soon as the next hour. All before the first kids show up.

Next-day essentials delivery

When it looks like a paper towel run is going to cut into outdoor quality time with the family, skip the schlep and order those shelf-stable household essentials for overnight delivery. Simply visit Target Restock online, fill up a box with the items you need (up to 45 pounds — about the size of a shopping cart) and, if you order by 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, it’ll be delivered to your door the next day for a flat delivery fee of just $2.99, or free if you use a REDcard.

You can’t change the number of hours there are in a day. But thanks to the convenient new digital shopping options, you can start putting your time toward the things that really matter to you — like enjoying the sunshine, playing with the kids or even just kicking back with an iced tea.

2018-06-25T17:15:00

(BPT) – For most parents, their child’s first steps or first words are incredible moments in their lives and a reason to celebrate. Well before their child is born they look forward to these milestones.

Parents Mike and Lori Cecere looked forward to watching their son Weston crawl. Most babies learn between 6 and 10 months old; however, as the weeks passed and Weston still had not hit this milestone, the Ceceres grew increasingly worried. Eventually, they went to a specialist.

Weston was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome when he was 15 months old.

A rare genetic brain disorder, Angelman syndrome affects between 1 in 12,000 to 20,000 people, and is characterized by delayed development, cognitive disability, severe speech and sleep impairments, and problems with movement and balance.

At the time of Weston’s diagnosis, those common milestones seemed distant, maybe even impossible. His parents were told he would never be able to walk, and things that may seem insignificant to most — something as simple as using a straw — might be impossible for him.

Yet despite the odds and the diagnosis, Weston learned how to walk. And though it took his siblings just nine months to learn how to use a straw, after five and a half years, Weston, too, was able to accomplish this task. For families impacted by Angelman syndrome, these are more than milestones; they are victories amidst lifelong challenges and emotional struggles.

What is Angelman syndrome?

A genetic disorder affecting the 15th chromosome, Angelman syndrome requires lifelong care for those who are diagnosed, beginning when very young.

In most cases, the first signs of Angelman syndrome that parents notice are significant developmental delays such as a lack of crawling, lack of speech or — in some cases — seizures. Because these symptoms can be easily mistaken for other conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy and Prader-Willi syndrome, Angelman syndrome is frequently misdiagnosed.

Those with Angelman syndrome are easily excitable, have short attention spans and exhibit a generally happy personality. They also don’t sleep as long as people without the syndrome, rarely more than five hours at a time, which means family and caregivers struggle with sleep deprivation on a regular basis.

One of the biggest challenges families face is in trying to control seizures. It’s hard to know just what will trigger a seizure, which can become a source of constant anxiety.

What treatments are available?

One of the first geneticists the Cecere family saw said that the best thing for Weston to do would be to play with other kids. With a neighborhood full of friends, that’s just what they did.

It was not a cure, but combined with love and expert treatment, it helped tremendously.

While there is currently no cure for Angelman syndrome, researchers are working on medicines to target specific aspects of the disorder. For example, therapies that could help with balance and coordination could help someone walk further on his or her own.

For the Cecere family, a therapy that helps Weston achieve even more small victories — like taking an extra few steps or being able to point — could have a major impact on how he interacts with his world.

It’s these small changes that can have a big impact and open doors for children like Weston to do the things many thought they would never do.

Sponsored by Ovid Therapeutics.

2018-06-25T13:55:00

(BPT) – Getting your house in order can be a struggle, especially as we age. Sorting through decades of belongings is often emotional and stressful, as questions and decisions pile up: Is this jewelry valuable? What should I do with all these tools I no longer use? Will this china set have sentimental value to my children?

But while it can be exhausting, this effort to declutter and simplify can be worthwhile, not only for our homes but also for our health.

The advantages of decluttering

Getting rid of things you no longer need or want may have a positive effect on mental health and can also make for a safer environment. It’s a sobering fact that every 12 seconds, according to the CDC, someone over age 64 will fall and end up in the emergency room. Decluttering can help keep paths clear and obstacles to a minimum.

A study at Indiana University showed that people with clean houses are healthier than people with messy houses. Regular household chores like vacuuming and washing windows can be great physical activity. A tidy home can also mean we’re more likely to invite people over — prompting interactions that can help alleviate feelings of depression and isolation that can accompany aging.

Tips to get started

With these tips, decluttering doesn’t need to be a dreaded task:

* Don’t judge yourself. It’s harder to decide what to do with items that have been in the family for generations than it might be for millennials to decide what to do with items from their college years.

* Take it one room at a time. According to a study by Moen, the most-cluttered areas of a home are the garage, kitchen and home office. The kitchen is a good place to start the decluttering process, because throwing away chipped dishes and expired spices isn’t as taxing as wading through boxes of potentially important paperwork or personal items. Take everything out of the fridge and cupboards and spread it all out on a counter or table so it’s easy to review. Give shelves a good wipe-down and restock them with the necessities, putting go-to things within easy reach, and donating or storing appliances and dishes that are used less often.

Once you feel good about your progress in the kitchen, move on to tackle the garage, office and other spaces where belongings tend to pile up. Like closets!

* Keep only what you wear the most. Pick a handful of favorite outfits for everyday wear, social outings and special occasions, seasonal wear and wardrobe staples, and donate the rest. If it’s hard to part with handmade or other sentimental items, consider finding creative ways to remember them, such as making a memory quilt of old T-shirts or photographing special items for an album and then letting them go.

* Stop the build-up before it begins. Keep a recycling bin handy for unwanted credit card offers and coupon packs before they enter the house, and unsubscribe from magazines and newspapers if they pile up unread. Eco-Cycle has some tips to cull the tide of junk mail, and mobile apps like Evernote can help collect and digitize recipes, warranties, instruction manuals and memorabilia to clear away more piles of paper.

At the end of the day, it’s OK to hang on to belongings that are near and dear to you. But for items that don’t hold sentimental or functional value, kick-start a decluttering mission today so you can enjoy a tidier, safer home tomorrow.

2018-06-22T14:15:00

(BPT) – Do you cringe each month when your utility bills arrive?

The annual energy cost for a typical single family home in the U.S. is more than $2,000, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. If you can think of a thousand things you’d rather spend your hard-earned money on than electricity and natural gas, the solution to saving on energy costs is easier than you think.

While you might assume the numerous electronic gadgets you own drive your high utility bills, the real cost culprits are your furnace and air conditioner. Space heating and cooling account for 42 percent of home energy costs — double what the typical home spends running its electronics and small appliances.

What’s truly unfortunate is much of the money spent on heating and cooling homes is wasted, as heat leaks out of your home in winter and comes in during the summer. The reason? About 90 percent of U.S. homes are under-insulated, according to the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association.

Ending your suffering from high energy bills can be as easy as tackling a few, simple, do-it-yourself insulation projects. Key areas to insulate are your home’s attic, basement, crawl space and garage. Read on for tips on insulating these spaces to improve your home’s energy efficiency and comfort, while putting money back in your pocket.

1. Attic

As heat rises and many attics are un-insulated or poorly insulated, the attic is a good place to start for making your home more cozy and cost-effective. Insulating your attic is “a DIY project you can tackle in a weekend, and the savings you’ll get add up every year,” said Tom Silva, general contractor for the popular “This Old House” TV show.

Many contractors and homeowners use loose-fill insulation or fiberglass batts in attics. Although these materials are easy to work with, it is difficult to ensure they do not leave gaps through which heat can escape. And, since they are designed to fit between the joists in the attic floor, they leave the joists un-insulated, which provides many places for heat to transfer from the home into the attic.

An alternative that is also easy to work with, and that provides continuous insulation, is rigid foam panels. Among the rigid foams, expanded polystyrene (EPS) provides the highest insulating power per dollar. EPS panels are simple to cut to size, without creating mess, are recyclable and can be installed throughout your home. One of the EPS brands available at home improvement stores is Insulfoam R-Tech insulation.

2. Basement and crawl space

In addition to insulating your attic, it’s important to make sure the bottom part of your home is energy-efficient. For most of the U.S. other than the hot Gulf Coast region, “it’s cost-effective and wise to install basement wall insulation,” wrote Martin Holladay on his “Musings of an Energy Nerd” blog. As in the attic, rigid foam insulation boards can readily be cut to size and installed on basement walls. While insulation can be applied to the inside or outside of a basement wall, for existing homes it is typically much easier to install it on the inside wall. This avoids having to move dirt away from the foundation and back-fill once the insulation is in place.

While you’re insulating your basement, be sure to also insulate any crawlspaces, including both the walls and ceiling of these areas.

3. Garage door

“Garage doors notoriously are un-insulated,” said David Stassi, field technical support manager at Insulfoam. “Fortunately, readily available DIY insulation kits allow homeowners to insulate their garage door in less than an hour, for less than $100.” Even a beginning DIYer can do the job, as you simply cut the insulation panels to size with a knife and straightedge, and flex the panels into place between the garage door’s horizontal rails. The panels remain firmly in place without messy glues or awkward tape.

For step-by-step instructions on installing garage door insulation or EPS insulation in basements, crawl spaces and attics, visit the Insulfoam YouTube channel.

With a few simple DIY insulation projects, you can save hundreds of dollars every year. Instead of spending too much on heating and cooling, you’ll have extra money for fun things like eating dinner out or taking a well-deserved vacation.

2018-06-22T15:17:00

(BPT) – “Nutrients serve double duty during pregnancy because they support both mom and baby,” said Dawn Jackson Blatner, registered dietitian nutritionist. “It’s no secret pregnant women need additional nutrition, but we continue to learn more and more about nutrients that are important during this time. We already know things like Omega-3s and folic acid are significant for fetal development, but one nutrient we’re now realizing is vital is choline. Choline is essential for a child’s early brain development during pregnancy and even supports early brain health during infancy.”

A recent Cornell University study found that choline intake was particularly beneficial in the third trimester. Researchers found infants exposed to higher levels of maternal choline during this period had improved brain information processing speed.

However, most people don’t get enough choline in their diets and prenatal supplements often have little or no choline.

“The problem is choline is not found in high quantities in most American foods,” Blatner said. “Fortunately, there is one readily available option packed with choline: eggs. This is good news for moms-to-be seeking optimum nutrition during pregnancy and moms of infants transitioning to table foods as eggs can be a wonderful soft food for babies. Bonus: eggs also include significant levels of lutein, another powerful brain-building nutrient.”

Blatner cautions that when buying eggs, not all options are created equal. “Eggland’s Best eggs have 25 percent less saturated fat, more than double the Omega-3s, 10 times more vitamin E, and more than double the amount of vitamin B12,” Blatner said.

If you’re pregnant or a mom of a young child, eating eggs regularly can help provide your family the essential nutrition to build brain health. More than just hard boiled, there are so many ways to prepare this versatile food. Get inspired by this Choline Breakfast Skillet, a delicious and healthy recipe to please the entire family.

Choline Breakfast Skillet

Ingredients:

6 Eggland’s Best Eggs (large)

2 tablespoons milk

2-3 tablespoons butter

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 cups chopped cauliflower florets

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup low-fat shredded cheese

Directions:

Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Add milk and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet. Add ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook for about 5-7 minutes over medium-low heat, or until cooked through. Move cooked ground beef to a plate.

Add remaining tablespoon butter to skillet if needed. Add onion, pepper, cauliflower and spices. Cook for 5 minutes, or until veggies are cooked through.

Pour egg mixture over veggies and cook on medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes, until eggs are cooked through and scrambled.

Add ground beef back into skillet and top with cheese.

Optional toppings/add-ins: greens, mushrooms, avocado, oregano, parsley, cilantro, sour cream, Greek yogurt.