Women, Stress And Heart Disease

(NAPSI)-When it comes to heart health and women, the role played by stress can't be stressed enough. This is in addition to other factors, such as diet, physical activity, and genetics that are known to contribute to heart disease in women.

According to the American Psychological Association's (APA) 2008 Stress in America survey, women report experiencing higher levels of stress than men-33 percent of women report an average stress level of 8 or above on a 10-point scale (vs. 27 percent of men).

"The link between high levels of stress and heart disease is well known and very real," says Katherine Nordal, Ph.D., executive director for professional practice at the American Psychological Association. "The good news is that by being proactive in their health care decisions and making healthy lifestyle choices, women can successfully manage their levels of stress and minimize their risk of heart disease."

In fact, the tools used to prevent stress are also those often employed to prevent heart disease. A healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as regular physical activity such as walking, yoga or dance, all contribute to a healthy mind and body.

APA offers the following tips on how to manage your stress:

• Understand how you experience stress. Everyone experiences stress differently. How do you know when you are stressed?

• Identify your sources of stress. What events or situations trigger stressful feelings? Is there anything you can do to change the situation or reduce your stress?

• Learn your own stress signals. People experience stress in different ways. Learn to gauge your stress signals.

• Recognize how you deal with stress. Determine if you are using unhealthy behaviors (such as smoking, drinking alcohol and over/undereating) to cope.

• Find healthy ways to manage stress. Consider healthy, stress-reducing activities such as meditation, exercising or talking things over with friends or family.

• Take care of yourself. Eat right, get enough sleep, drink plenty of water and engage in regular physical activity, such as yoga, taking a short walk, going to the gym or playing sports.

• Reach out for support. Accepting help from supportive friends and family can improve your ability to manage stress. If you continue to feel overwhelmed, you may want to talk to a psychologist, who can help you better manage stress and change unhealthy behaviors.

To learn more about stress and mind/body health, visit the American Psychological Association's Help Center at www.apahelpcenter.org.

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Financial Woes Can Add To Health Concerns

GBB Note: Part of women's beauty comes from taking care of themselves.

(NAPSI)-Financial problems may have an effect on the health of women and their families.

That's one of the key findings of a new survey that indicates many women have failed to seek health care for themselves or their families to save money. Findings also indicate that many women say their health has gotten worse over the past five years and that the primary cause women cite for this decline is stress.

"Today's financial crisis and increasing health costs are clearly impacting women's decisions around health care, and their physical and emotional well-being," said Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, RN, executive director of National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC), which commissioned the survey. "It's hard to stay calm and relaxed given our hectic lives-even in the best of times. But women need to understand that skimping on health care to save them money may cost them more in the long run."

Conducted by Harris Interactive, the fourth annual, national Women T.A.L.K. survey found a significant number of women report making sacrifices in order to reduce their expenditures on health care and that their health is declining.

• Nearly half of women have failed to seek medical care in the past year because the cost was too high. This includes skipping doctor's visits, recommended medical procedures and medication for themselves or their families.

The study also showed that while women were most likely to put off doctor visits for themselves, they were least likely to put off doctor visits for their children.

• Hispanic women were most likely to have skipped health care in the past year.

• More than 40 percent of women report their health has declined over the past five years and the most common reasons given for this were stress and weight gain.

• At the same time, a solid majority of women reported a willingness to make lifestyle changes -such as improving their diet, exercising or eliminating smoking-if it would help lower their health care costs.

"Long-term stress and weight gain can significantly increase women's risk for other health problems," said Battaglino Cahill. "Women need help in managing stress and part of that equation is good nutrition and regular exercise. There are many simple, no-cost steps they can take to manage stress, including eating better, exercising, deep breathing, meditation and organizing and prioritizing activities."

For more tips on managing stress, visit www.healthywomen.org/wellness.

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Georgia Southern University Expert Offers Tips on Reducing Holiday Stress

The holidays are supposed to be a joyous time, but many people feel overwhelmed by the extra cooking, shopping, spending and expectations that come with the celebrations.

Dr. Pamela Feldt, Assistant Professor in Georgia Southern University’s Department of Psychology, offers these five tips to keep holiday stress in check.

Keep Expectations Realistic
Become aware of your stress inducing ideas about the holiday season and challenge them. No one’s house, children, gifts or baking is perfect. Yours don’t have to be perfect, either. It’s a better idea to focus on what gives you and your family pleasure, rather than what you think you ought to be doing.

Watch What You Eat
It’s OK to eat some cookies and other sweet treats if you follow two simple rules. First, don’t beat yourself up for doing so. Second, don’t skip real food (like vegetables and protein) in order to cut calories after you’ve eaten sweets. It is entirely possible to sugar-stress your body, which makes it more difficult to cope with other stressors.

Only Drink In Moderation
If you drink, drink no more than two drinks per day. Also, make sure that you give your body time to metabolize the alcohol before you go to bed. If you don’t, you may wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get back to sleep. Getting enough sleep is an important stress reducer.

Exercise
Make time for some exercise. Even minimal exercise (ten minutes at a time) outside in the sunshine and fresh air helps to reduce stress and improve your mood.

Organize
Make a calendar on which you put everything that needs to be done during the holiday season, including special activities for all family members and routine things that need to be accomplished, such as car maintenance and medical appointments. Once you have all of your appointments down on a calendar, you can see if you are scheduled to be in two places at once and make plans to deal with the schedule conflict. Creating the calendar can be a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy together.

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How to Create a Sleep Haven and Catch Some Z's

(ARA) – You know the feeling. You’re in bed, but you can’t fall asleep. Your mind is racing and you’re tossing and turning so you read a book or watch television until the wee hours of the morning. Getting good quality sleep is vital to our health, so it pays to create a sleep haven and improve your rest.

A recent sleep survey conducted for AmericInn Hotels found that six in ten U.S. adults (62 percent) had trouble falling asleep at least one night per week and nearly 10 percent had a tough time sleeping every single night. That's a total of 3.1 billion hours of sleep lost in America each week or 161 billion hours per year.

So what are the leading causes of all this lost sleep in our country? The survey found economic fears (36 percent) lead the reasons for American sleeplessness followed by high energy prices (29 percent), health and medical concerns (28 percent), stress over politics (22 percent) and concerns about war and global terrorism (12 percent). No wonder America is having a hard time sleeping.

"With all the worries and concerns of modern life, sleeplessness is happening whether we like it or not,” says Dr. Christopher Drake, bioscientific investigator at Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders and Research Center. "But continued bouts of insomnia can wear down the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to illness. The key is to get a handle on the source of the stress causing sleeplessness before it becomes a full-blown medical issue."

Stressed out Americans need to create their own bastion of peace so they can rest and renew their mind and bodies to handle the demands of modern life. Drake recommends turning your bedroom, or hotel room when traveling, into a sleep haven, a place of peace and serenity that gives your body every possible advantage of achieving a restful night’s sleep.

Below are 10 easy tips periodic insomnia sufferers can use to create their own sleep haven, whether at home or on the road:

1. Cut out all caffeine. If you're caffeine-sensitive, it's not just coffee that is your biggest sleep culprit. Avoid tea, sodas and anything with chocolate.

2. Make your bed. Ever noticed how much more comfortable a freshly made bed is? The uniform snugness of the sheets can create a cradle effect around the body and the fresh smell of clean sheets can mimic the feel of a luxurious hotel bed.

3. Leave work out of the bedroom. Keeping your bedroom free of anything work-related is key in creating a true sleep haven. That means leaving files, laptop computers or PDAs on the kitchen table, not the nightstand. This may be difficult when traveling, but try to keep the bed and side tables free of work-related clutter.

4. Eliminate outside noise. If you live in a noisy neighborhood, shut your windows and use air conditioning during the summer months. If you reside in an apartment or are staying in a hotel that doesn’t use soundproofing construction like AmericInn Hotels does, invest in noise-canceling headphones, white noise or sound effect machine.

5. Block out all light. When at home, use double thick curtains like the ones you find in hotels. Make sure you turn off all electronics in your room that emit light, including DVD players. A piece of masking tape over the display works great.

6. Avoid using alcohol and nicotine before bedtime. Even though alcohol may initially help you fall asleep due to its sedating effects, it causes severe sleep disruption during the second half of the night with frequent and long duration awakenings. Also, studies have shown that smoking before bed delays the time to fall asleep and is associated with a worsening insomnia in some individuals.

7. Banish the TV. Watching TV while in bed stimulates the mind, encouraging restlessness. Consider listening to classical music, but stay away from news or talk radio.

8. Distract your mind. Break away from daily stresses by reading a book before going to sleep at night. Counting sheep isn't just a silly remedy. The combination of the counting and the visualization distracts your mind and lulls or bores you to sleep.

9. Workout in the morning. If traveling, take advantage of your hotel’s exercise room. By adding an extra hour in your morning for some cardio-vascular exercise you will stay energized throughout the day and sleep better at night. Beware of working out too close to bedtime, as it can leave you over stimulated.

10. Pay attention to your eating habits. Eating right while traveling is always a challenge since many restaurant entrees are loaded with calories and served in huge portion sizes. Try picking healthier food options and you don’t have to clean your plate even if your mother used to make you. Finally, make sure you don't eat more than two hours before bedtime, so your food has time to digest.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Cutting Age Advances in Anti-Aging Skin Care

An honest look at how we can all save our skin from EARLY signs of AGING! This article was written by board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Gary Friedman of San Francisco. Dr. Friedman explains what's just around the corner for anti-aging skin care solutions.

/24-7PressRelease/ -- The road we travel from the sunrise to the sunset of our lives is known as aging. To a degree the rate at which we age results from both genetic and environmental factors. We have no control over the former but have a significant influence over the latter. Certain foods we eat, the air we breathe, and the sun we expose ourselves to are major environmental stress factors (ESF) which are largely the result of the lifestyle choices we make. Premature aging of the skin results to a significant degree from making the wrong choices. On the other hand, a diet high in fruits and vegetables, breathing clean air, avoiding smoking, and minimizing sun exposure or certainly using effective sunscreens whenever we are exposed to sun light, are choices that greatly reduce these environmental stress factors (ESF) which lead to premature aging.

ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS FACTORS (EFS)

The skin reacts to these environmental stress factors by producing free radicals. Research has shown that free radicals are responsible for premature aging and certain forms of cancer. The body's natural defense mechanisms, which include antioxidants, fight to destroy free radicals before they can cause cellular inflammation that leads to permanent damage. If excessive numbers of free radicals are produced they begin to overwhelm the body's natural defense mechanisms and the extensive cellular injury is no longer able to adequately heal. In the skin, this type of permanent injury goes on to form microscopic scars. As these tiny scars proliferate, a visible wrinkle forms and thus presents as an early visible sign of premature aging.

SAVING YOUR SKIN

We must minimize the environmental stress factors (ESF) in order to reduce premature aging of the skin. Fortunately, smoking and atmospheric pollutants have been reduced through education and legislation. Increased protection from harmful UVA rays in sunlight has occurred with the development of SPF sunscreens. However, most sunscreens provide inadequate protection. More effective products containing EPF (environmental protection factor), IPF (immune protection factors), and DNA repair enzymes, that better protect against damaging UVA 1 rays, are now being developed.

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH - DNA REPAIR ENZYMES

Current cosmecueutical research is now focusing on the inclusion of powerful, new antioxidants, as well as DNA repair enzymes. As these become available in the very near future, major breakthroughs in anti-aging skin care will take place.

LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE

In summary, significant progress against the oxidative environmental stress factors is occurring with ongoing health education, the development of new, highly potent antioxidants and DNA repair enzymes, more effective sunscreens, and new cosmeceuticals targeting an individual unique DNA. This promises to lead to a profound advancement in the area of ant-aging skin care.

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Reduce Holiday Stress In An Hour Or Less

(NAPSI)-The holiday season is supposed to be a time of joy and celebration. However, with your ever-growing to-do list, from organizing family gatherings to finding the perfect gifts-not to mention grocery shopping, cleaning and decorating-all too often words such as "joy" and "celebration" are replaced with "anxiety" and "stress."

In fact, a recent survey by Lindt, a premium chocolate confectioner, found that two out of three women admit they are stressed during the holidays. While many women spend time perfecting their hostess techniques and buying gifts for loved ones, they often forget to take time out for themselves. The survey also found that in order to relieve stress, the majority of women, if given the chance, choose to go shopping, indulge in premium chocolate or visit their local spa. It's well known that when trying to avoid stress, it's important for women to remember that taking a personal time-out, even for only a moment, can make a big difference.

Whether you have an extra hour before you have to pick up the kids from school or you find yourself with only five minutes of precious "me time," here are five tips from Lindt that will help you forge through the holidays without forgetting about yourself!

1) 60 minutes: Go ahead, pamper yourself by booking a massage or a facial and let a professional soothe away your tension. A classic massage from your local day spa should leave you rejuvenated in under an hour.

2) 45 minutes: Book an appointment to have your hair blown out by a pro. The experience of having your hair styled will leave you feeling and looking like a million dollars at a fraction of the cost.

3) 30 minutes: Feed your brain by reading. Whether it's fact or fiction, read at least a chapter a day. Your mind will wander to a different place and forget about that lengthy to-do list.

4) 15 minutes: Take a cyber-break. Sign online to check out the latest celebrity gossip and news. Catching up on others' busy lives will help you briefly forget the stress of your own.

5) 5 minutes or less: Treat yourself to something indulgent, such as one smooth-melting Lindt Lindor Truffle, to help you momen-tarily escape the strains of everyday life.

For more information, visit www.LindtLindorTruffles.com.

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Top-Five Stress Busters

(NAPSI)-Life can be stressful, no doubt about it, but how we deal with that stress can make a huge difference in the quality of our lives and in our own health. Try these tips:

1. Breathe--When stress levels begin to rise, close your eyes and relax into a few deep breaths. Deep breathing suppresses and calms your sympathetic nervous system which, when activated, releases stress hormones that can be detrimental to our bodies.

2. Let Go--Many of us get stressed out over "the small stuff" in life. Instead, practice the art of "letting go." Close your eyes and repeat several times: "let" as you inhale and "go" as you exhale. Focus on the things in your life that are the most important to you--your health, family, friends and loved ones, as well as all the blessings in your life.

3. Exercise--Exercise raises our production of endorphins-brain chemicals that make us feel good--and increases our sense of well-being. If you're stressed out about starting an exercise routine--or want to improve your current one--try using equipment designed for your fitness level. For instance, Savasa makes jump ropes, weights, resistance bands and other items that are color-coded to your size, height and fitness level. Plus the products have smaller grips and handles modeled on women's hands. They even come with a DVD featuring 15-minute workouts created by professional trainers.

4. Be Present--Stress often occurs when we relive painful memories over and over, or when we constantly worry over the unknown future. When you notice these thought patterns, tell yourself that you cannot go back in time, and since you have no control over the future and no amount of worrying will ever change that, you are then left with one option-bringing your mind into the present moment.

5. Eat Right--By eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and pasta, and by eliminating foods that are high in fat, white flour, white sugar and caffeine, we can build up our immune system's ability to protect our bodies against the damaging effects of stress.

For more information, visit www.savasafit.com.

By JoDene Stokes

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Quick Tips For Stress Relief

(NAPSI)-The next time you're feeling stressed, consider the good news, the bad news and the better news.

The Good News

You're not alone. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, roughly one in three people suffer from moderate to severe stress on a daily basis. A survey by the American Psychological Association found that three out of four Americans are stressed out by money and work.

The Bad News

Prolonged stress has been shown to damage memory cells and increase the risk of heart disease, cancer and other illnesses. Stress accumulates over time. Here's a list of "stress signals":

• Restlessness, feeling keyed up or on edge

• Being easily fatigued

• Difficulty concentrating

• Irritability

• Muscle tension, such as a chronic stiff neck or a painful shoulder

• Sleep disturbance: difficulty falling or staying asleep or restless, unsatisfying sleep.

The Better News

Mimi Donaldson is a stress management expert and author of "Bless Your Stress: It Means You're Still Alive!" She says all it takes to reduce stress may be a 10-minute break during the day. The benefits include an increase in energy, productivity and happiness.

"It's hard to find a person who hasn't experienced any signals of everyday stress," said Donaldson. "That's why I emphasize pressing the 'pause button' for 10 minutes a day. For example, taking time to enjoy a low-calorie, portion-controlled snack such as Nonni's Biscotti is a very manageable way to alleviate the buildup of daily stress. Remembering to treat yourself better will give you that added boost to get through the day with a renewed energy."

"Treat Yourself Better" Stress Relief Tips

• Focus on the things you truly can control: what you think, what you say, what you do, what you put into your mouth and what you do to your body.

• Give up your unofficial and ineffective hold on the forces of the universe.

• Use your all-purpose "pause button" before you go bananas over a long slow line or traffic jam.

• Do something nice for yourself. Relax and enjoy a healthy snack while you take some moments of reflection time.

• Move your body; exercise.

• Practice doing nothing. Investigate meditation and how it might help you.

• Do something nice for someone else. Let that impatient driver into your lane.

• Create a list of things for which you're grateful and read it daily.

Relaxing with a biscotti and a cup of coffee or tea can do more to relieve stress than many realize.

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Supplements Can Serve As Stress Buffer

(NAPSI)-When it comes to reducing stress, many believe following the right diet and taking nutritional supplements can often be a big help. Experts say when people are stressed, they do not always eat as much or as well. Here are some tips:

• Eat smaller meals more frequently to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Make sure protein and fiber are part of every meal.

• Exercise. It burns calories and helps to fight stress.

• Look for a natural-food multivitamin containing B vitamins and minerals to help convert food to energy, B and C vitamins to help support the body's ability to handle stress, chromium to promote stable blood sugar levels, and iodine to support healthy thyroid function and metabolism. Antioxidants are also found in natural-food multivitamins and help to protect tissues and cells from damage caused by stress as well as exercise.

Some say this type of natural whole-food multivitamin--as well as herbal supplements, probiotics, omega-3 fish oils and antioxidants, such as CoQ10--from a reliable source, such as The Vitamin Shoppe, can help to guard against deficiencies.

This can help ensure that other aspects of health and fitness--such as hair, skin, nails, the immune system--are not sacrificed during times of stress.

Learn more at www.vitaminshoppe.com.

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A ‘Well-being Routine’ – the Real Key to Health

(ARA) – As important as a fitness routine is to your physical health, it’s just as vital to have a “well-being routine” that focuses on your mental health. Being well-rounded physically and mentally can foster balance between your work and personal lives, and help reduce everyday stress.

Stress is a major and growing health concern in America, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). In fact, a third of all Americans say they are extremely stressed, and 77 percent report experiencing physical symptoms associated with stress, according to an APA study.

“Stress is a normal part of life, and small amounts can actually make you stronger physically and mentally,” says Martica Heaner, a health, fitness and wellness expert. “But when stress builds up and becomes overwhelming, it’s time to take action to manage its impact on your life. Looking after yourself by focusing on your wellness is one of the very best ways to take care of what’s on the inside as well as the outside.”

Americans are more focussed on overall wellness than ever before, a fact that has not escaped the notice of companies like The Body Shop, Heaner notes. The Body Shop, long recognized as leaders in the naturally inspired beauty industry, recently launched a line of Wellbeing products that fit into four key aspects of a wellness regimen – Divine Calm, Total Energy, Deep Sleep and Pure Detox.

Your well-being routine should help you create calm, get adequate rest, re-energize and purify your body, Heiner says.

Creating Calm

* Manage small stressors. Try not to over schedule yourself or constantly react to every demand on your time. For example, rather than constantly checking e-mail throughout the day, schedule a few regular times to do so.

* Give yourself time to do nothing at all. Turn off the TV. Don’t answer the phone. Or soak in a hot bath seasoned with a calm-inspiring bath product. Look for products, like The Body Shop’s Divine Calm line, that incorporate naturally calming ingredients such as French lavender essential oil, camomile and soya milk.

Reaping the Rewards of Rest

* Sleep deprivation can leave you feeling “hung over,” impair you as much as several alcoholic drinks, shorten your attention span, make you feel sluggish and even cause you to overeat.

* Follow a calming routine prior to bedtime. Incorporate some pampering in your routine, such as a relaxing shower, soothing moisturizer and a spritz of calming scent in the room, on your pillow or bed sheets. The Body Shop’s new Wellbeing line includes five products designed to enhance rest, like the Deep Sleep Dreamy Pillow and Body Mist.

* Get extra sleep whenever possible. Set the alarm to go off at the last possible minute, instead of setting it earlier and hitting the snooze button a few times. Your body will benefit more from those extra 20 minutes if they’re uninterrupted.

Re-energize Your Body

From improper nutrition, to lack of sleep or exercise and dehydration, there are many reasons why you might feel fatigued.

* Never skip breakfast. Even a small bowl of cereal or a piece of fruit can help you energize for the day ahead. Eat more if you exercise in the morning and will be expending energy.

* Put nutrition first, and worry less about calories, carbs or fat. Add some colourful vegetable or fruit to every meal – spinach or red peppers on your sandwich or pizza, beans in your salad or pasta.

Purify Your Body

You can minimize your exposure to environmental toxins with a few simple steps:

* Choosing organic foods can help you reduce the amount of toxins you ingest.

* Eat more walnuts and walnut oil, which are high in Omega-3 fatty acids that help quench free radicals in our bodies.

* Drink more water. To function at their best, every cell in your body needs to be properly hydrated. Getting enough water can help you feel less tired and flush toxins from your body.

Choose all-natural products in every aspect of your life, from the cleaning products you use in your home to your beauty products. The Body Shop’s Wellbeing products are made from all-natural ingredients like guarana, wasabi, lavender, camomile, eucalyptus and jujube date. Plus, every product contains ingredients sourced through the company’s Community Trade program, so while you’re taking care of your own well-being, you’re also helping communities around the world in places like Ghana, Brazil, Zambia, Namibia and Nicaragua. Visit www.thebodyshop-usa.com to learn more.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Three Easy Tips For Starting The Week Off Right

GBB Note: We all know moms are their most beautiful when they are smiling and not feeling the stress of the daily juggling routine. Here are some tips for our Georgia moms and dads.

(NAPSI)-It’s 8 a.m. on Monday morning: Do you know where your brain is? Off in a million directions, dealing with questions like “Mom, where’s my…” or “Honey, can you…?” And, like every other day of the week, are you struggling trying to remember who’s supposed to be where, when and why?

“Life has become a constant juggling act and it’s harder than ever to keep all of the balls in the air,” said Lian Dolan, co-host of the “Satellite Sisters” radio show and a mother of two. “But much-needed assistance is only a few minutes away for busy parents.

“With three simple steps, they’ll find that they can manage the madness and make the most of their limited time.”

Step 1--Tune into Technology

Face it, sticky notes and bulky day planners don’t cut it anymore. What’s needed is an online resource to help make sense of it all. For example, MakingLifeBetter.com is a new, free Web site from Unilever that helps moms better manage their lives. It’s packed with family-friendly recipes, beauty advice and hundreds of tips. Best of all, it features a free online organizer from Cozi that manages schedules and activities with a shared family calendar, tracks shopping and to-do lists, and helps families stay in communication, all in one place.

According to Cozi Family Experience Manager Amy Schottenstein, sites like MakingLifeBetter.com and Cozi help busy moms simplify their daily routines so they can enjoy spending more time with their families. “Time is at such a premium today and online resources built for busy families are a helpful way to free people up to do the things they really want to do.”

Step 2--The Power of One

One-dish dinners. One online shopping list. One area for bags, keys, books, equipment, phones. One basket for each family member’s stuff. Whole outfits in one place. Even a one-touch mail delivery system where you take the mail from the mailbox and put it either into the shredder or into the designated family member’s basket will save time and energy and decrease the frustration of losing things in the clutter of a black hole. If you find yourself adding another dish to the menu or putting things into new piles, stop immediately and return to the number one.

Step 3--Just Play

Start the week uncluttered by enlisting little hands to help with cleanup on Sunday night. You can even add this to your Cozi family calendar on MakingLifeBetter.com so everyone in the family can save the date. However, resist the urge to nag or nudge and shift the focus to fun. In under a minute, you can turn a floor full of dirty clothes into a game of H-O-R-S-E basketball, so clothes make their way to the hamper without you. Add a twist to any room with a toy explosion by putting on a timer and calling it “speed demon”--if the room is tidy in five minutes, everyone gets an extra scoop of ice cream. Sunday will be forever known as Funday or Sundae!

These days, when every day of the week is a challenge, the key is to simplify your life with tools that are at your fingertips.

Monday mornings can be easier if you use a handy Web site, MakingLifeBetter.com with Cozi, to coordinate family schedules and find quick, easy meals.

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