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That old cell phone or unused tablet can help make your home safer. Turn it into a security camera with an app that records when something moves and stores images on the device or in the cloud. Set up outdoor motion lights that can catch a prowler in the act, and stop hiding keys under a rock by using a smart deadbolt that has a keypad or a phone app to unlock your door. Source Link 

Having a seat in the dentist’s chair could uncover more than problems with your smile. Nearly 100 diseases can show symptoms in the mouth, like severe gum disease that could be a sign of undiagnosed diabetes. Dentists who perform a blood pressure check can also find warning signs of hypertension that can lead to heart disease or stroke. Source Link

There are some simple ways to get your child to take medicine. Give them choices, like taking a liquid dose in a dropper or a cup, or choosing water or juice to wash down a pill. Be consistent with medicine times and explain simply how the medicine helps them. And don’t hide medicine in food because if your child discovers this, it could lead to eating problems. Source Link

What’s the orange-colored produce that’s best for your eyes? Here’s a hint – it isn’t carrots. Studies show that eating oranges may greatly reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration that’s a common cause of blindness in older people. Researchers say the flavenoids you get from an orange a day can protect against eye disease. Source Link

You hear about health screenings for cancer or heart disease, but there’s also a series of questions to gauge memory and brain function Even if you’re not experiencing problems, a memory screening may detect the potential for memory issues. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America offers free screenings by video on your smartphone, tablet or computer. Source Link

Here’s a ten-minute cleanup plan to get your house in shape when unexpected guests are on the way. Grab a box and relocate all clutter into a closet, and stash that bathroom mess in the tub or shower behind the curtain. Clean all flat surfaces and vacuum visible areas starting at the front door. And freshen the air by putting spices like cinnamon, allspice or cloves in a pot of water on medium heat. Source Link

The window in an oven door gets grimy, but there’s an easy way to clean it. Make a paste using baking soda and water and add a few drops of a grease-cutting dish detergent. Spread this on the glass and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then scrub with a non-abrasive sponge and wipe with paper towels or a microfiber cloth. Source Link

With voice cloning becoming easier, getting a fake call from a child or grandchild needing money for an emergency is a common scam, and you can fight back with one word. Create a unique family code word and ask for that if you get such a call. If they don’t say the word, hang up. You can make it even safer by using a common word but mispronouncing it as the code word. Source Link

We’ve all had times when you can’t fall asleep because your mind is racing. You might overcome this by listening to soothing sounds or a calming meditation on your phone. You can also try rhythmic breathing like the 4-7-8 exercise, with a four-second inhale, a seven-second hold and an eight-second exhale. Source Link

A parking lot, a flight of stairs, a street corner and even your bathroom can be places for exercise. Try a combination of fast running and then walking 50 yards in a parking lot or take a flight of stairs two steps at a time. When waiting to cross the street, alternate standing on each leg for 10 seconds or add 10 reps of standing up from sitting on the toilet. Source Link

It’s called a “baker’s week” and it might be the best choice for planning that next vacation. A seven-day getaway with an extra day at the end for traveling home can give you the feeling of a real break from a Monday thru Friday job. Booking a three-or-four-day trip may not be enough time to get into that relaxation groove. Source Link

Let’s see if your bedtime routines among America’s favorites. In a survey, 39 percent of people took a bath or shower before bed, 29 percent read, and one in five used meditation or deep breathing. About half ran a fan to help them nod off, 29 percent had blackout curtains, and one in five used weighted blankets, sleep masks, noise machines, apps or ear plugs. Source Link

Tackling a sink full of dirty dishes may be just the thing to boost your creativity. That’s because doing mundane tasks and simple chores like washing dishes can provide time for more deep thinking. The technique has some big proponents including billionaires Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos who have both said that they do the dishes at home. Source Link

Spending more can actually save you money if it’s on the right things. Analyze your buying and look for items you use consistently and stock-up. Then focus on finding the best prices, whether that’s watching for sales, taking advantage of coupons or buying in bulk at a membership store. Source Link 

Some driving habits may be a silent sign of a sleep disorder. Always needing a window open for a blast of cold air, sipping coffee behind the wheel, or cranking up the tunes during morning drive could be efforts to make up for poor sleep or even sleep apnea. It’s estimated that one in five collisions on the road may be caused by fatigue or sleepiness. Source Link

For the most effective way to argue with your spouse or significant other, the eyes have it. Looking eye-to-eye provides the visual cues that add context to what you’re hearing and help avoid misunderstanding what’s being said. It’s only after you each get better at communicating face-to-face that you should consider debating by text message. Source Link

Make laundry day easier on you and your clothes with a shortcut that’s built into many washers. The “express cycle” has a shorter wash time and a high-speed spin cycle for quicker drying. And that shorter wash cycle can lengthen the life of clothes because it means less time that items are rubbing together in the washer. Source Link

Deep breathing may ease anxiety and it’s easier to do when you remember two shapes. Box breathing has you breathe in, hold, breathe out and hold again for four seconds in each step.. Triangle breathing does the same in three steps and visualizing a box or a triangle as you breathe can help set a good rhythm. Source Link