Winter weatherproofing: Preparing your home to stay safe and save energy
(BPT) - The heat will certainly be on this winter. With winter storms hitting many parts of the country early in the winter season, furnaces are plugging away, causing heating bills across the country to increase. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the typical U.S. family spends at least $2,200 per year on energy bills - with nearly half of that going toward heating and cooling. To help homeowners combat the cost of heating a home during the winter months, Vale
Are you recycling your plastic beverage containers?
(BPT) - When you place a plastic beverage container in a recycling bin, you are an important part of the product's life cycle, helping that packaging to be used to make something new, over and over again. An astounding 70 percent of what people toss in the trash is actually recyclable, but very few people recycle as often as they should. What exactly happens to plastic beverage bottles that you put in a recycling bin? They are collected, sorted and ground into plastic flakes.
Slippery season: Mayo Clinic offers 10 tips for avoiding falls
(BPT) - With the winter season approaching, you may need to pay closer attention to watching your step. Even if you're active, healthy and full of life, statistics show that you have a greater chance of taking a debilitating fall as you age. Mayo Clinic notes that some 400,000 "fragility fractures" occur annually due to falls injuring osteoporosis-weakened bones. "We get injured when we try to do things beyond our abilities," notes Kim Lombard, an injury prevention coordinato
Winter allergies: The allergies you didn't know you could have
(BPT) - When temperatures get below freezing, people with seasonal allergies to grass, tree and weed pollens get well-deserved relief from their symptoms. But if you're still sneezing and blowing your nose when winter descends, you might have indoor allergies. The problem for many allergy sufferers is figuring out what, exactly, is causing their symptoms. Why? Most allergy sufferers develop similar symptoms no matter what allergen they're reacting to. When you have a stuffy o
Balancing 2 (or more) generations under one roof
Tips for seniors who opt to live with family (BPT) - If one family trend is an indicator, aging in America is in for a transformation. As people plan their retirement years, more and more are preferring to make the right adjustments at home to age in place, rather than exploring alternatives such as assisted living facilities and nursing homes. For many, that can mean opting to live under the same roof as their grown children and perhaps even their grandchildren. The advantag
How to protect against the silent killer
(BPT) - Nationwide, temperatures have begun to dip as we prepare for winter storms. Whether your town is prone to nor'easters or milder winter temperatures, it is important to be prepared for what winter brings. This year's colder weather has already brought an increase in the number of carbon monoxide (CO) incidents across the country. While this poisonous gas can impact individuals at any time of the year, 50 percent of CO poisonings occur between November and February, acc
