SavvySugar

6 Unique Ways to Fend Off Illnesses and Avoid Medical Bills

Emily Co — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:57:16 PST

There are very few things that are worse than getting sick. Not only will you have pricey medical bills to pay, but you may also have to skip out on work. Fortunately, you can employ plenty of preventative methods to avoid falling ill. We've heard the usual "eat right and exercise" advice, so here are a couple of tactics that you may not have heard of:

Immune boosters in a pill: Although you've heard of the usual immune boosters like vegetables and fruits, there are a couple of holistic cures you might want to try. There's New Chapter's LifeShield Immunity ($20), which is a supplement made out of a combination of mycelium, fruiting bodies, spores, and extracellular compounds from tonic mushrooms.
Take ginseng with your vaccine: When you get a flu vaccine, try taking some ginseng with it so you'll bounce back from the effects of the vaccine. There was a study done in which only 13 percent of the group of participants who took ginseng with flu vaccinations caught colds vs. 37 percent of the placebo group.
Trick yourself psychologically: Don't discount old wives' remedies! Even if you don't have any scientific proof, perhaps the cures have some sort of psychological effect that results in physical effects. For example, a cure for cough that works for me is rubbing vapor rub over my feet and wearing socks at night. Another scientifically disproved treatment is Airborne, which somehow always fends off a cold when I feel one coming on.

Read on for more tips.

Up All Night: "Night Care" For Kids Gains Momentum

Natasha Dantzig — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:04:27 PST

Get your PJs, it's time to head to "night care"! Nine to fivers are quickly becoming a thing of the past, and parents' alternate work schedules get blamed for all types of things, even childhood obesity. Thanks to good old supply and demand, a new industry has cropped up in the parenting world. Known as "night care," day care centers are extending their hours late into the evening, and sometimes through the night, to accommodate the nearly 40 percent of the American work force who reportedly work nonstandard hours. According to a story in the New York Times this week, "It’s the wave of the future. The trend is to move beyond nine to five because, with the changing economy, that’s where the need is."

The concept of having someone care for your kids at night isn't a new one: plenty of LilSugar readers said they would hire a night nurse if money was no object , but this is the first time there's been a significant shift from at-home night care for children to the use of outside facilities. While complete overnight care is still relatively rare, the idea of a child being fed dinner, read a bedtime story, and tucked in somewhere other than home might be the wave of the future.

Have you ever utilized a night care program? Would you?

5 Products to Help Work-at-Home Moms Actually Work at Home

Natasha Dantzig — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:16:31 PST

Work it, girl! Working from home can sound like an ideal setup for a mom; until one actually attempts to say, write an article, or make an important call with an attention-craving toddler trying to destroy any expensive electronics that are getting between him and the park. Working from home has its challenges, but the pros are pretty amazing. The following products will help mama get her work done, and keep her sanity.

A good to-do list is essential for today's multitasking mamas. Remember the Milk ($25) is a top-rated option thanks to its ease of use, and accessibility from multiple devices.
What mom doesn't need an extra hand? Being able to have a (brief) phone conversation while throwing a tennis ball back and forth with an energetic toddler might not be the least stressful option, but at least with a device like the Hands-Free VTech Phone ($100), it is possible to do both.
Most agree that when choosing a work-from-home schedule, it's best to have distinct times for work and times for play. Great goal, but sometimes that one last email can't wait for naptime or the babysitter. A stand-up desk, like this adjustable height Safco model ($237) is not only great for the back, but it will keep curious lil hands at a safe distance from expensive laptops.
Don't underestimate the power of the humble Crock-Pot ($44). The ability to throw dinner fixin's in at noon and not think about it again until 5 p.m. is a major time-saver.
The less paper, the better when it comes to staying organized. Swap Post-its and random scraps of paper for Dry Erase Boards ($44) to keep track of lists and notes.

What's your best tip for working at home with kids?

7 Easy Ways to Make Vacation Bliss Last

Emily Co — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:05:14 PST

All good things come to an end, and that includes vacation as well. Settling back into work is hard especially when you're missing the sun and sand or whatever you immersed yourself in during your travels, but the vacation bliss doesn't have to end. It's said that people reap more benefit from multiple short vacations rather than one long one, because we derive most of the pleasure of our trip from planning. Personally, I think there are plenty of happy aftereffects as well.

I recently took a trip and am determined to make the happy travel buzz last for a good while. Here are some simple strategies I've been using:

Put Your Memories on Facebook: Upload your images and videos of the trip onto Facebook and watch the discussions begin! It's fun to see friends commenting back and forth on pictures and videos, and it'll be a constant reminder of the special moments you captured of your trip with your camera.

Buy Souvenirs: A souvenir is a physical memory of the fantastic time you had on your travels. Leave it around your house or at the office to inspire some awesome daydreams. Reader Lovely_1 puts it best when she said, "I like to buy something nice for my home that i can display. Then when someone comments on it I can be like 'Oh, I got that in Fiji!'"

For more ways to memorialize your trip, read on.

10 Essential Work Pieces That Aren't Totally Tired

Brittney Stephens — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:45:27 PST

Let's face it: dressing for the office can be a challenge. If you're lucky enough to work in a creative space, you may feel more pressure to keep your looks exciting (and not take total advantage of the lax dress code). If you're in a pretty corporate professional environment, it's even more likely that you'll be surrounded by ensembles that are duller than dishwater. Luckily, there are a few easy pieces that can ensure you look polished and powerful - whether you're working with a base salary or something a bit more bountiful. From an anything-but-boring blazer to a punchy pair of pants, click through to see and shop 10 pieces that will bring some serious cool to your cubicle.

The Dangerous Effects of Sitting at Your Desk

Leta Shy — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 03:07:13 PST

The news keeps getting worse for those of us chained to our desks - that simple act of sitting for hours at a time is doing us way more harm than good. In fact, sitting for prolonged periods of time is so bad for us that not even 30 minutes on the treadmill can counteract its effects (although it's better than nothing). Learn why sitting is detrimental to your health and you might just be inspired to move more.

It increases your risk of cancer: A new study has found that prolonged inactivity increases our risk of certain cancers, including breast and colon cancer. The studies found that women who moved more had smaller waist measurements and lower cancer biomarkers, both of which are risks for developing cancer.

It causes weight gain: One of the most apparent risks of a sedentary lifestyle, of course, is packing on the pounds. In fact, many people blame the growing obesity epidemic on the fact that we sit for the majority of the day. Now that more people have desk jobs than in history, it makes sense that the less we move, the higher the rate of obesity.

More bad news for desk dwellers after the break.

Savvy Tip: Write Down Your Big Wins

Emily Co — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:05:53 PDT

Time passes so quickly, doesn't it? Before you know it, it's performance evaluation time again. Here's a tip for you: write down your big wins as they happen over the year. It doesn't matter if it's in Excel, Google Docs, or a plain notebook, start keeping track of your accomplishments. That way when you're pushing a raise, you'll be able to easily whip out the detailed facts and be able to make a stronger case of why you deserve one. After all, memories can fail, and it's easy to forget certain achievements over the course of a year.

5 Secrets to Being Ivanka Trump

Emily Co — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 05:00:30 PDT

Ivanka Trump is definitely one of my favorite celebrities. It's true that this beautiful, smart heiress has had everything handed to her, but she took what was given to her and made something out of it. I recently reread her book, The Trump Card, and found many juicy tidbits that all of us can use in our daily lives. Read on to find out how you can attain her success!

Did You Work Over the Labor Day Weekend?

SavvySugar — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:05:05 PDT

Sure, it's a holiday that's meant to be a break for workers, but I bet some people couldn't help working. Whether it's because you have too much to do or you're just a workaholic, I'm wondering if you brought your work along with you during the weekend.

5 Ways a Tough Attitude Can Help You Get Back Into Work Mode

SavvySugar — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:15:03 PDT

People say that violence is never the answer, but some circumstances calls for desperate measures. I know it feels impossible to to slide back into office mode after a long weekend, so don't be afraid to throw a few punches and kicks to get the ball rolling again!