The Best Snack For Allergy Sufferers

A cup of yogurt a day may keep a stuffy nose at bay.

A new study found that when people with allergies to grass, pollen and ragweed drank a beverage containing probiotics ( the good bacteria found in yogurt), they experienced lower levels of the antibodies that trigger reactions.

To build your reserves, try mixing yogurt with fruit and cereal.

(Shape magazine Nov-2008)

Help Keep your Toothbrush germ- free

Close the lid of the toilet before flushing, so those millions of microbes can't propel onto the floor, the sink , and the TOOTHBRUSH!

Cut back on caffeine

Drinking the recommended five or more cups of green tea a day may pump your body with enough caffeine to induce the jitters.

To eliminate up to 90 % of the caffeine - yet still benefit from all of the tea's disease fighting antioxidants- steep the tea for 30 seconds, and dump out the water ( along with the caffeine).

Then pour in new water, and steep for three to four minutes more.

Don't peel your fruits and veggies

There are 27 times more antioxidants in the skins of fruit and veggies than in the pulp - so save time and stop peeling

GET-HAPPY SNACKS

A hearty snack does more than quell hunger - it can also improve your mood.

The secret is to eat something with carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.

Carbs in foods like whole grains, fruits, and veggies reduce stress, the protein in eggs, dairy and beans keeps you alert and energetic, and omega - 3 fats in flaxseed, walnuts, salmon and sardines may ease depression.

Fish Fix - one slice of wholegrain bread, 1 1/2 ounces of smoked salmon and 1 slice of hard -boiled egg

Dairy Dose - one cup of plain yogurt and 1/2 cup of blueberries and 1 tbsp of walnuts

Protein Power- 2 tbsps of hummus, 1/2 cup carrots and 5 flaxseed crackers

Lean back and relax - your spine will thank you

Apparently Doctors in Scotland with the use of MRI machines have discovered that sitting just ten minutes hunched forward or ramrod straight - with thighs at a 90 degree angle to the body -compressed disks, placing strain on muscles of the lower back.

However, when people sat on cushion with their hips slightly higher than their knees - the trunk and thighs were at a 135 degree angle - the spine remained close to its natural alignment, easing pressure on disks and keeping muscles relaxed.

So try raising your chair high enough to put your hips above your knee, or sit on a cushion and recline slightly.

Read this if you want to sleep better at night

Studies show that very bright light - the equivalent to outdoor early morning light - will increase brain activity. Some scientists believe that the light emitted by a computer monitor late at night can do just that and therefore confuse your body's sleep-wake cycle- particularly when combined with the stimulation of an engaging video game.

You are better to wind down before bed by watching tv( at least 15 feet away to be unaffected by its brightness) or even better to read a book or magazine.

(Prevention magazine June '07)