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5 easy ways to give back during the season of giving

2019-11-22T12:27:00

(BPT) – Over the holiday season, it’s natural to look for ways to give back to those in need, whether in your own community or beyond. With everyone’s schedules being full to the brim over the season, and with so many other demands on your energy and your funds, it’s sometimes hard to know the best method to donate. Fortunately, there are many ways that you can make a big difference in the lives of others, even while going about your holiday errands and outings.

Here are just a few ideas to make a meaningful contribution and show your holiday spirit.

1. Participate in a toy drive

Always top of mind this season are the needs of children whose families may not have many resources. Organizations large and small throughout the country run toy drives over the holidays, so it’s easy to share the magic of the season with children in your community. Simply pick up an extra couple of toys while you’re doing your own shopping, then find a drop-off location near you. Most charities require that donated toys be new and unwrapped.

2. Give your airline miles

While you’re arranging your holiday travel, check to see if you’ve accumulated extra airline miles. Most airlines allow donation of miles for a wide variety of good causes, so if you have some miles that are close to expiring or you just don’t think you’ll need them, ask the airline what charities they are connected to and how you can donate your miles. Chances are, you won’t even miss them — and they can make a meaningful impact on others.

3. Book a room to make a difference

If you or your relatives are traveling over the holidays, consider booking rooms at a Red Roof property, as their “Room In Your Heart” campaign will donate 15% to one of four meaningful charities, up to $25,000, as well as provide a 15% discount on the room rate. The four charities benefiting from the campaign are:

  • Flying Horse Farms offers magical, transformative camp experiences for children with serious illnesses and families, free of charge.
  • Canine Companions for Independence provides highly trained assistance dogs for children, adults and veterans with disabilities, free of charge.
  • The Freedom Alliance supports American troops and families with care packages, grants, scholarships and other programs.
  • The Sunshine Kids Foundation organizes positive group activities for children with cancer.

All travelers need to do is book a stay now through Dec. 31 using the promo code “Room” at any Red Roof Inn, Red Roof PLUS+, The Red Collection or HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof to take advantage of the discount and to make a huge difference to children, support animals and military members.

To learn more about the Room In Your Heart campaign, visit RedRoof.com/deals/national-deals/room-in-your-heart.

4. Donate blood

Often forgotten over the holidays is the continual need for blood and platelets. Disaster relief organizations and hospitals continue to rely on donated blood throughout the winter months, but many would-be donors are over-scheduled and may not be thinking about this crucial need, which never takes a holiday. Stores of blood are often depleted this time of year. It’s easy to do an online search for a blood drive location near you, and it only takes a little over an hour of your time.

5. Give while you walk

Several charities are connected to apps that allow you to donate simply by exercising — or even just walking throughout your day. You connect with your phone, which tracks your miles, and you can choose what charity you want to donate to. It’s a great way to stay active over the holiday season while also contributing to a good cause.

This holiday season, enjoy the festivities and keep up with the hustle and bustle, all while providing meaningful support to charities and causes you care about. Using one or more of these opportunities to give back will make the season even more magical — for you and for others.


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Tastes of the season: Kitchen tools for home entertaining

2019-11-22T05:01:00

(BPT) – Special occasions call for special dishes and beverages, with inviting aromas such as freshly baked pastries, slow-roasted meats, and the rich fragrances of cappuccino and gourmet teas. These kitchen tools make it easier to create memorable moments of entertaining.

Enhance baking with the professional-quality Küchenprofi Pastry Scraper Set, with three tools that make it easier to achieve baking perfection. Includes a stainless-steel dough cutter, a sturdy flat dough scraper with raised handle and beveled edge, and a spatula with flexible silicone edge. The tools feature an interlocking design to nest together for compact storage.

The Betty Bossi Wonderbox creates mini filled pastries worthy of an accomplished pastry chef. The 5-piece set includes a functional base with fluted dough-cutter, lid and inserts for pinwheels, little parcels or small oblong boats. Place filling in the center and then pull the handle to quickly fold the dough into shape. Little effort for a big wow effect.

Whether you’re prepping ingredients or saving leftovers, Zoku Neat Stack are designed specifically for making food prep and storage easy and convenient. In a variety of sizes, the containers and lids neatly stack and nest in multiple ways, freeing up valuable cabinet and refrigerator space. Sets include leak-proof lids and a reusable Freezer Pack for food on the go. They are freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe.

The CDN Ovenproof Meat Thermometer stands out for its highly visible glow-in-the-dark dial. Extra-large dial shows precise internal temperatures from 120° to 200°F, plus food-safe temperature indications for poultry, ground meat, beef, veal or lamb at your choice of doneness. Durable laboratory glass lens and stainless steel housing.

For your favorite one-pot meals, the Fissler Souspreme Multi Pot is on trend with 18 one-touch cooking programs for fast cooking, slow cooking, plus integrated sous vide. It accommodates popular recipes for countertop multi cookers, while offering an easy way to experience the many culinary benefits of sous vide. Also sautéing, steaming, fermenting, yogurt making and more.

The Tramontina Enameled Cast-Iron Series 1000 Covered Round Dutch Oven doubles as a colorful and elegant serving dish for special meals. Guests will love the mouth-watering flavors enhanced by the self-basting lid. Ideal for slow simmering, cooks will love its practical features from heat retention to even cooking. Rich, vibrant enameled finish is striking and easy to clean.

The luxurious JURA GIGA 6 is a sophisticated, top-of-the-line coffee machine for home use. With two electronically adjustable ceramic disc grinders, it can prepare two barista-standard milk specialty coffees simultaneously — always freshly ground, not capsuled. Brews 28 one-touch specialties, including Americano, caffè latte, flat white and cortado. Intuitive operation via the machine — or a smartphone or tablet using JURA’s free app.

The programmable Capresso H2O Select Water Kettle delivers hot water for any type of tea, French press or pour-over coffee and other cooking applications. This rapid-boil 56-ounce electric kettle has an illuminated LCD display with 11 programmable settings from 110° to 212°F. Removable micro filter spout. Keep-warm function programmable between 110° and 190°F.


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How cutting-edge technology is transforming cooking

2019-11-22T07:01:00

(BPT) – When marveling at the ways modern technology has impacted our daily lives, people most frequently cite areas such as communication, transportation, entertainment and health care. But there’s one arena where technology is making huge differences that often gets left out of the discussion — home cooking.

At this year’s WestEdge Design Fair, the West Coast’s annual premium contemporary design fair, cutting-edge culinary technology was on full display, highlighting the many ways lives of home cooks have been transformed due to recent innovations. Daily demonstrations and samplings at the event’s “Signature Kitchen Suite Culinary Pavilion” revealed the latest state-of-the-art equipment created to make cooking not just easier and more precise, but also healthier and tastier.

Among the key innovations showcased at this noteworthy design event were the newest offerings from luxury kitchen appliance brand Signature Kitchen Suite, designed to provide the forward-thinking, sophisticated home chefs of today — termed Technicureans— with the means to combine their passion for cooking with their interest in technological innovation, right in their own kitchens.

Here are a few of the show-stopping WestEdge Design Fair highlights

1. A pro range offering restaurant-quality results

The most ambitious home cooks who spend years perfecting their techniques can only get so far without professional-grade equipment. Today’s home chefs want what professional kitchens can provide, and Signature Kitchen Suite delivers: an industry-first, highly versatile 48-inch dual-fuel pro range with built-in sous vide modality right on the cooktop, along with gas and induction, plus a double oven (convection and steam). Once only used by professional chefs, the sous vide technique vacuum seals food and submerges it in water, then slow-cooks it at a precise temperature to achieve perfect results, every time. The sous vide method also helps retain the nutrients and flavor of the food being prepared.

“Bringing restaurant-quality techniques to the home kitchen allows consumers to enjoy good food with more fun and less effort,” says Signature Kitchen Suite Executive Chef Nick Ritchie, who conducted sous vide culinary demonstrations at the WestEdge Design Fair. “Our pro ranges with sous vide modality help home chefs of all calibers up their game, and they’re seeing how leading-edge technology gives them more flexibility to prepare food in the best possible way.”

2. High-tech wine storage worthy of sommeliers

Wine can easily be affected by the environment where it is stored. Elements such as vibrations, temperature fluctuations and changes in humidity and light levels can all cause chemical imbalances that may adversely affect wine’s quality, flavor, aroma and texture. So how can a home connoisseur ensure the quality of their wine? New wine column refrigerators from Signature Kitchen Suite using exclusive “Wine Cave” technology have been developed to significantly reduce vibration, minimize temperature fluctuations, limit light exposure and lock in humidity. Wine aficionados with these new refrigerators can also make use of the True Sommelier app available with these wine refrigerators powered by Wine Ring, which uses innovative patented software to help manage their at-home collection and make specific wine and food pairing recommendations.

3. Smart cooking is healthier cooking

Technology and kitchen design are merging, with the common goal of achieving wellness through better, more effortless cooking. Leading appliance manufacturers are also now offering consumers a variety of smart cooking platform integrations, including Innit, SideChef, Tovala and Drop. These applications emphasize tools to help cooks plan, shop and prepare meals better, customized to suit individual dietary or lifestyle needs and preferences. Apps can help with finding recipes and shopping lists, step-by-step guided cooking videos or automated precision cooking programs proposing better nutrition options. Today’s kitchens offer a combination of luxury and intuitive smart technology that can provide techniques and tools once limited to professionals, proving that better cooking is possible through better thinking.

For today’s Technicurean home chefs, this is all good news. Aspiring to make better, more delicious and healthier food — and more easily — is no longer just dependent on an individual’s hard-earned skills. Having professional-grade tools and equipment, along with the latest technology, in your own home makes your culinary goals much more attainable.


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The Cancer You’ve Never Heard of … Is Common and Can Be Dangerous

2019-11-21T12:01:01

(BPT) – If you’re not familiar with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), the second most common cancer in the United States, you’re not alone. CSCC is a skin cancer that’s five times more common than melanoma – and also has the potential to become deadly. Yet nearly three out of four Americans know little about CSCC, according to a recent Skin Cancer Foundation survey of 2,010 adults in the U.S.

The survey, conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of the Skin Cancer Foundation in coordination with Regeneron and Sanofi, revealed some alarming truths about Americans’ awareness of skin cancer. While nearly 90% of respondents were familiar with melanoma, 42% had never even heard of CSCC, despite the fact that it’s the more prevalent skin cancer. While 95% of CSCC cases are curable in early stages, approximately 40,000 cases each year progress to advanced stages.

“These survey findings reveal that CSCC is virtually unknown to most Americans, and most have significant misconceptions of how dangerous it can be if it progresses,” says Skin Cancer Foundation President Deborah S. Sarnoff, M.D. “This large gap in knowledge highlights the urgent need to increase public awareness of CSCC, including understanding of the seriousness of advanced cases.”

Getting educated about CSCC is critical. If you don’t know what CSCC is, it’s time to learn more about the signs and risk factors so you know when to talk to your doctor. If you are familiar with CSCC, make sure you know what to look for if you’ve been diagnosed before and your CSCC keeps coming back, or if it seems to be spreading. This might mean it is advancing.

Know If You Are at Risk for CSCC

One of the most troubling statistics brought to light by the survey is the fact that CSCC awareness is low even among the people who are at a greater risk for it. Risk factors include age (people 65 and over), gender and where you live. Men, for example, are three times as likely as women to get CSCC. But most men (74%) are unfamiliar with it.

People who live in southern states and those who tend to spend more time in the sun are also more likely to be diagnosed with CSCC. Many years of sun exposure, whether due to an outside job or simply an active outdoor lifestyle, contribute to CSCC. Yet most people in the southern half of the U.S. (72%) don’t know about CSCC.

Learn How to Recognize CSCC

While CSCC can often be cured when caught early, approximately 40,000 cases each year progress to advanced stages, when the cancer spreads or recurs and becomes difficult to treat successfully.

It is recommended that all adults schedule regular visits with their dermatologist. As an added precaution, to detect CSCC as soon as possible, it’s important to understand what the disease can look like, where it may be on your body and what kinds of symptoms could be cause for concern. CSCC typically occurs on parts of the body that are regularly exposed to the sun, including the face, ear, neck, lip and back of the hands, but it can develop on other areas, too. Check your body for any unusual spots, including those that may be rough, scaly or red patches, raised lumps, open sores or wart-like growths. These are all potential signs and should be examined by a doctor right away. Adults should check their skin each month.

If diagnosed with CSCC, your doctor will monitor your condition to assess if you may be at high risk for having your disease become more serious. Doctors call this “advanced” CSCC, and it may mean that the cancer is invading deeper into the skin, or is spreading to other areas on your body. If you are at risk for advanced CSCC, it is very important to schedule more frequent visits with your doctor.

Diagnosed With CSCC? Treatment Options May Depend on Disease Stage

Most people who have CSCC are treated early with surgery and are typically cured. In some cases where surgery is not an option, patients may be treated with radiation. But if your cancer is considered advanced, you may need a systemic therapy. Your doctor will help you determine your treatment options. That’s why it’s so important to talk to him or her not only about your disease, but about treatment options, too. The doctor will explain what is available, depending on the nature of the CSCC, and the benefits and risks associated with each option.

Don’t Be Another CSCC Statistic

This year alone, approximately 1 million cases of CSCC will be diagnosed across the country, and an estimated 40,000 will become advanced. Be proactive with your health: understand the facts about CSCC, and if you have already been diagnosed, talk to your doctor about whether you may be at risk for advanced disease.

For more information on the results of the survey and CSCC, including risk factors and the signs of advanced disease, visit skincancer.org/CSCCsurvey.


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4 questions to help you choose the right health insurance

2019-11-21T17:22:15

(BPT) – Your options for health care and dental plans can feel overwhelming. Dozens of plans and many variables can affect your decision, which is why it’s worth your time to find the option that best fits your individual or family needs.

“We will devote hours of painstaking research to other choices that impact our quality of life, like buying a car, home or even a TV, but we might enroll in the same health plan year after year without shopping at all,” said John C. Patrick, national vice president of sales for GEHA (Government Employees Health Association). Not all plans are the same, and you and your family’s needs may change year to year. Why not take time to shop?

The difference between the lowest and highest annual premium for health plans can be thousands of dollars. And 10 percent or more of your annual spending may go to plan premiums, according to reports from The Commonwealth Fund. That means you could save a hefty chunk of change simply by taking the time to compare health plans. As you review your options for 2020 there are questions you can ask yourself to help choose the best fit.

1) What are next year’s potential health needs?

Before you select, think about what your health patterns are and if you know what may already be on the horizon. Are any surgeries planned, do you or a family member require regular medication, are you at a high risk for a health issue that might require testing, are you planning to have a baby? If there are high medical needs, it’s likely a higher level of coverage may also be needed.

2) Does your coverage match your lifestyle?

Living a single, on-the-go lifestyle may point to a different plan than if you are married with children. One plan may allow for picking up prescriptions at a more convenient location compared to another. It’s also important to look at what wellness programs are available along with the availability of tools like virtual or on-demand care that can save on surprise visits to the emergency room.

3) Are any new plans offered?

Some health carriers are changing their benefits to offer more prevention and wellness focused plans, while others are adding benefits like pediatric dental coverage or contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA). It all depends what your carrier options are and what your employer offers. For example, federal employees will have two new health plans available this year, Elevate and Elevate Plus from GEHA, that focus on convenient and flexible care for on-the-go lifestyles, with an emphasis on innovative digital tools.

4) Which plan fits?

Don’t be afraid to crunch the numbers to see where you get the most for your money. It may be smart to go with an HSA that puts money away for later use for things like braces or glasses. Or maybe you need a plan with lower monthly premiums and predictable out-of-pocket costs. The key is to examine all the angles: Cost, coverage, provider network and convenience. Knowing your options will help you find the plan that’s right for you.

For federal employees, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides a comparison tool as a resource for shopping and understanding what is and is not included in each benefit plan. It is updated with the 2020 Federal Employee Health Benefit plans.

A quality health plan helps you achieve the health you need to live the life you want. The right plan is out there — you just need to shop to find it.


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5 tips to optimize your gaming experience

2019-11-21T14:01:01

(BPT) – You’ve just defeated the final boss in a game you’ve spent hours on. You’re happy and ecstatic that your battle has been won and right before the game saves, your console shuts off. It’s all gone! If you love gaming, chances are there are plenty of things you don’t love when they happen — like freezing, glitches and crashing altogether. In order to have the best gaming experience possible, and to avoid some of the worst problems that can pop up, there are some things you can do — from low-tech to high-tech solutions — to ensure your hardware is up to whatever game you want to throw at it.

1. Prevent overheating

This may seem like a no-brainer, but when your computer overheats, it’s really bad for your system, potentially causing harm to your video card and other parts of your equipment. Make sure your PC has adequate ventilation — and that nothing is blocking it.

In addition, you should clean your PC regularly to keep it from building up too much dust, which can also cause your system to overheat.

2. Update drivers

If your graphics card driver isn’t up-to-date, you could start seeing artifacts and other visual glitches. And if you haven’t done so already, upgrading to a dedicated graphics card can also improve your gaming experience.

Upgrading your CPU (processor) can make a big difference, too — especially in fast-moving games that need a lot of processor speed.

3. Upgrade your hard drive and memory

If you’re playing on an older computer with an HDD hard drive, consider upgrading to a Solid State Drive (SSD). This will help amp up your load times.

Likewise, installing more RAM will make everything run more smoothly. Without enough RAM, your games may stutter or not even run at all. Making sure you’re not running any other programs — and shutting down background programs running on your computer — can also help free up RAM and boost CPU power.

4. Invest in a cutting-edge monitor

Having a top-of-the-line monitor not only enhances the entire visual gaming experience, but it also prevents issues like tearing, which happens when the feed the video card sends to the monitor doesn’t sync up with the refresh rate of its display.

LG Electronic’s UltraGear Nano IPS NVIDIA G-SYNC gaming monitor is the world’s first 1 millisecond (ms) IPS display. It can utilize Nano IPS technology to achieve phenomenal color reproduction, an ultra-fast 1ms response time and a refresh rate of 144Hz, overclockable to 175Hz. It supports both the NVIDIA G-SYNC processor and VESA DisplayHDR 400 and is certified by NVIDIA through over 300 tests for performance and image quality to provide a great gaming experience. As a result, it can deliver smooth motion without tearing or stuttering, providing blazing speed and stunning picture quality for the most immersive gaming experience yet. The new gaming monitor is available in 38- and 27-inch screen sizes (models 38GL950G and 27GL850, respectively) and is the first IPS display capable of achieving 1ms Gray-to-Gray response time.

5. Check your network connection

For online gaming, ensure you have a good internet connection to prevent lag. If you’re using Wi-Fi, try switching to using an Ethernet connection instead. Stop or close any tasks sucking up bandwidth on your connection, like video streams or downloads, during your game play. You should also shut off any automatic updates that could slow down or interrupt your gaming.

If you’re using Windows 10, an easy fix is to activate Game Mode, and adjust the visual effects for “best performance.” Keeping your Windows system updated and getting rid of unnecessary programs will also help your machine run at top efficiency.

Maximizing your gaming experience, so you can immerse yourself in the visuals and enjoy fast action free from glitches and stutters that mess up your game, requires at the very least a little maintenance, and at most, getting the best hardware available. To check out the latest gaming monitors, visit LG.com.


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‘Tis the season for heart disease?

2019-11-21T14:23:00

(BPT) – Deaths from heart-related causes tend to spike over the holidays. According to a recent study, the risk of heart attack increases significantly around Christmas time, and may be highest on Christmas Eve. Recognizing the symptoms of heart disease — and taking time from the busy season to see a doctor — could help to save your life, just as it did for Zbigniew “Ziggy” Banach.

Banach is a 46-year-old husband and father of two teenage boys, living in Woodstock, Ill.

Last November, Banach began feeling chest congestion and shortness of breath. On Dec. 17, 2018, he finally visited the emergency room, where he learned he had suffered a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when blocked arteries cut off the supply of blood to the heart.

Banach had four stents placed in his arteries to restore blood flow. The heart attack had caused significant damage to Banach’s heart. As a result, Dr. Hetal Gandhi of the Advocate Heart Institute in Crystal Lake, Ill., was concerned that Banach was at risk of dying from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

Some people confuse SCA with a heart attack, but they are very different. A heart attack victim is likely to feel severe chest pain or other symptoms, just like Banach did. They usually remain awake and can call for help. Unlike a heart attack, SCA has no warning signs, and is likely to leave the victim unconscious and unable to call for help. SCA occurs when a failure of the heart’s electrical system triggers a dangerously fast heartbeat, causing the heart to quiver or shake instead of pumping blood to the body and brain. The most effective treatment for SCA is an electrical shock (defibrillation). Without treatment, death from SCA can occur within minutes.

For protection from SCA, Gandhi prescribed Banach with the LifeVest wearable defibrillator.

“Major heart attacks weaken heart muscles and put patients at a higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest,” explained Gandhi. “Especially in the first 40 to 90 days of recovery, certain patients may need devices that can respond to and protect them from sudden cardiac arrest. This gives us time to determine a more permanent solution and allows the heart muscles to regain strength after a heart attack. Wearable defibrillators can provide protection and restore a normal heart beat even if a patient is alone or asleep.”

LifeVest consists of a garment, an electrode belt and a monitor. LifeVest is designed to continuously monitor a patient’s heart, detect life-threatening rapid heart rhythms, and automatically deliver a treatment shock to restore normal heart rhythm and save a patient’s life. With only five days until Christmas, Banach left the hospital wearing LifeVest under his clothes day and night, only taking it off for a short shower.

Just three days later, while asleep in his home, Banach suffered SCA. Within one minute, LifeVest delivered a treatment shock that saved his life. When he awoke the next morning, Banach saw Blue Gel deployed by LifeVest during treatment and realized what happened. His wife drove him to the hospital, where he received two more life-saving treatments from LifeVest. On Christmas Eve, Banach received an implantable defibrillator (ICD) for long-term protection.

His family visited him in the hospital to spend the holiday together. Banach tries not to imagine how different a Christmas it could have been.

“I don’t know what would happen if I didn’t have the LifeVest,” said Banach. “I’m grateful I had it and happy to be alive.”

Researchers suggest delays in seeking medical treatment may contribute to heightened risk of heart-related death around the holidays. A person experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack should seek medical treatment right away. According to the American Heart Association, heart attack symptoms can range from slow and mild to sudden and intense, including discomfort in the chest, arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach, shortness of breath, nausea and sweating.

If you or a loved one has experienced a recent heart attack, talk to your cardiologist about SCA and the treatment options available for those at risk.


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Simplifying the holidays for small business owners [Infographic]

2019-11-21T14:37:00

(BPT) – The holiday season is often the most profitable for your business, but it also comes with the most challenges, like balancing the responsibilities of being a business owner with your family’s holiday plans. Here are a few ways Office Depot can help make your holiday prepping and shopping work for your business and your family.


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pHreshen the pHunk Up! Here are a few things that will keep you in control of your feminine health

2019-11-21T08:21:00

(BPT) – The vagina is a delicate ecosystem that must be maintained at a normal pH of 3.8-4.5, the same pH as beer, if you can believe it! Everyday events like blood with your period, sex, soaps, certain medications and the water in a douche can all elevate the natural vaginal balance, because those elements have a pH of 7.5 or 8. When the pH is disrupted, you might experience burning, itching or an unpleasant odor.

What to do? OB/GYN, Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., offers the following tips.

Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and cranberry juice, as it’s good for the bladder, and the acidity helps balance pH levels to relieve UTI symptoms. Foods high in sugar can increase the risk of yeast infections. So, avoid processed foods, alcohol and sugary drinks, and eat more fruits, veggies, and whole grains to help prevent yeast issues and UTIs.

Most vaginal odor is not the result of poor hygiene. The secret is to keep the vaginal pH balanced, instead of just masking the problem with scented soaps, fragrance sprays, irritating wipes and pads that can be harmful to delicate tissue. Over-the-counter RepHresh Gel does just that. It keeps the pH balanced to the normal pH and eliminates odor for up to three days. Lingering bacteria can cause odor too. If you douche, remember to balance pH immediately after with one application of RepHresh, or use a RepHresh Clean Balance kit that includes both a cleaning solution and pH balancer all-in-one.

Yeast infections are common because yeast tends to grow in warm, moist areas. Change out of wet bathing suits and tight exercise clothing right after that run, bike or hike and when douching to cleanse the yeast, remember it can actually destroy the healthy pH balance. That’s why it’s important to restore normal pH right after douching.

Symptoms of a yeast infection can include odorless and sometimes thick discharge, itching and burning. Many women think they have a yeast infection when they actually have bacterial vaginosis (BV), an increase of “bad” bacteria, usually caused by unbalanced pH. Symptoms of BV are often similar, but the discharge produced generally has an unpleasant odor. If you aren’t sure whether you have BV or a yeast infection, see your doctor for a proper diagnosis and solution.

While there are yogurts that add probiotics to promote digestive health and immunity, no yogurts are shown to maintain vaginal health. RepHresh Pro-B is different from other probiotics, lactobacillus and acidophilus products because it is clinically shown to provide healthy probiotic lactobacillus that work to balance yeast and bacteria. With one capsule taken daily, you can help maintain vaginal flora in a normal healthy range.

By remembering a few simple tips, you can stay healthy and decrease the risk of vaginal issues and unpleasant odor and itch.

Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., is a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine.