BusinessVoice News Network

Arranging a funeral can be a time when costs take a back seat to emotions, but you have rights regarding what you’re charged. Federal law requires every funeral home to give you a General Price List with every item and service they offer and charges must be itemized. And don’t be rushed into arranging a funeral because there’s no set time for how long you can wait after someone dies. Source Link

Getting 10,000 steps a day is considered the gold standard for fitness but you can log a lot fewer and still lengthen your life. A study found that heart health starts to improve with as few as 2,300 steps a day and your risk of dying from any disease starts to decrease with only about 4,000 daily steps. But the more steps you take, the bigger the benefit. Source Link

Most of us aren’t very good at picking strong passwords. Some of the biggest no-no’s are using names of sports teams, brands or pop culture references, or reusing passwords with slight variations. Experts suggest using a free password manager program that creates strong unique passwords and remembers them for you. Source Link 

Smartphones are blamed for causing driver distraction, but you can use some phone features to increase safety behind the wheel. Both iPhones and Android phones allow you to block calls and notifications while driving, and in-car systems that work with a phone can also help limit distractions. And some apps can use the phone’s forward-facing camera to alert a driver to a possible collision. Source Link

Those blue-light-filtering glasses sound like a great way to reduce eye strain when working with screens, but the science doesn’t match the hype. Researchers found that blue-light glasses probably don’t prevent or relieve eye strain. What can help is using eye drops and following the 20-20-20 Rule – every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away. Source Link

If you can’t attend motivational meetings for weight loss you can tackle that diet challenge with an online program. Look for one that offers personalized calorie counts and menu plans with a grocery list, a physical activity plan tailored to you, weekly tips for weight loss and an online forum for support anytime. Source Link

Resistance training can be an important part of any weight loss plan. It lowers the percentage of body fat in healthy adults and builds muscle that burns more than twice as many calories as fat does. Weightlifting also speeds up metabolism, improves testosterone levels for men and boosts bone density in women. Source Link

More screen time for kids at age 2 can mean more problems with communication and daily living skills by age 4. That’s from researchers who say the wild card is more outdoor play time. Youngsters who spent more time playing outdoors improved their daily living skills but it didn’t alter the negative effects of screen time on communication skills. Source Link 

Your dishwasher needs some help getting things clean and the solution may be in the soft drink aisle at the grocery store. A monthly acid bath using unsweetened powdered lemon Kool-Aid can help remove lime scale, soap scum and other stains. Put one package in each detergent cup and run the empty dishwasher for a complete cycle. Source Link

Does eating no food for a time beat counting calories as a way to lose weight? Researchers found that intermittent fasting yielded a similar weight loss as seen in those who used calorie counting and portion control. The advantage for intermittent fasting may be its simplicity, because all you need to do is watch the clock and avoid eating. Source Link

Beyond style, finding the right shoes for you comes down to the fit and the build. Different brands use different molds when making their shoes, so try on a few to find the one that’s best for you. A specialty shoe store can do measurements, and most people have one foot slightly bigger than the other, so start by trying on that shoe. Source Link

Visiting an urgent care center instead of the emergency room can save you time and money. A trip to the ER is only for when you have any sign of a stroke; persistent chest pain, trouble breathing or loss of consciousness; a high fever with a rash; a serious fall or injury involving the head or eyes; bleeding that won’t stop; a serious burn or a sudden, severe headache or loss of vision. Source Link

A vacuum sealed freezer bag can keep food longer but you don’t need a sealing machine to do it. Place the food in any freezer bag, squeeze out the air and zip it closed. Put a piece of aluminum foil over both sides of the end of the bag and then run a hot iron over the end to seal the bag for storage in the freezer. Source Link

Malware-infected apps and clicking on bogus links in text messages or emails can let a hacker inside your phone and there are warning signs to watch for. Your phone may be hot to the touch from malware that’s running at top speed or your battery is draining faster or data use is spiking. Also watch for emails or text messages sent from your phone but weren’t written by you. Source Link 

A vacation from work is something your body needs. The physical response to workday pressures is to create hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that help you meet deadlines and other challenges but without breaks this process goes into overdrive, causing anxiety and burnout. A vacation is a hard reset that interrupts this cycle. Source Link 

The air you breathe at home can affect your everyday health, so be sure it’s as clean as can be. House dust can be loaded with allergens and airborne chemicals, so dust and vacuum once a week with a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. And use a fireplace sparingly because burning wood indoors can lead to serious respiratory problems. Source Link

You can ease travel anxiety by putting your hands to work. Channel nervous energy by knitting, coloring, doing needlepoint, writing letters or postcards, or journaling. You’ll use the time you’re spending in transit in a creative and fulfilling way that can make it feel less stressful. Source Link

You might find your purpose in life with help from a Japanese practice. Ikigai focuses on four things – what you have a passion for, what you’re good at, what you do that the world needs, and what you can be paid for. The intersection of these four elements can reveal a path to more happiness for you and more service to others. Source Link