That's Fit

We have a pile of toothbrushes sitting on our bathroom counter. We seem to alternate among them and as they pile up, I realize it's time to toss the whole lot and start fresh. It's healthy to do this every once in a while. But how often? Every three to four months. Why? Because frayed bristles -- we've got plenty of these -- don't clean well and leave teeth ripe for tooth decay.

Got an old toothbrush? Toss it now. Toss these things too.

Vitamins. After two years, give your vitamins the boot. Experts say they can technically sit for three years but since you have no idea how long they sat on store shelves, two years is a good time frame. They won't hurt you if you take them years and years later. They just won't work.

My five year old daughter's beautiful light blond hair has turned the most not-so-beautiful shade of green. Ugh! We swim a lot. We live in Florida, and that's what we do almost every day during the summer. Her hair has been pretty green for about two weeks now, and for about the same amount of time I've been looking for the special swimming shampoo that's supposed to get the green out. I checked three pharmacies, one Walmart, and two grocery stores with no success. How frustrating!

Fortunately, today I stumbled across the ultimate score in 'get the green out' shampoos at Target.. Suave has a cute little kids line of hair and body products that are tear-free, smell great, and sell for less than two dollars. And! They've recently added a special shampoo to the line which is designed to remove chlorine from cute little heads of green hair. It's called Suave Swim and Sport Flippin' Citrus 2 in 1 Shampoo for Kids. We've already used it, and we love it! So....if you are Going Green in a way that has nothing to do with the environment......give this stuff a try!

I know that winter is coming to a close -- perhaps more rapidly in some areas than others -- but I know that for me, the weather extremes that occur at the end of winter tend to cause absolute havoc with my hair. I don't know if it's the return of the sun, the sudden, massive snowstorms, the wind or perhaps a combination of all of the above and more, but the months of February though April tend to bring fly-aways, split-ends and, of course, hat head on the colder days.

So what can all of us who suffer through the horrors of winter hair do to ease our suffering? Apparently there are a number of pretty simple ways to tame static, prevent flakes caused by dryness and maintain shine despite the crazy weather. Check out the tips listed here for ideas on how to keep you hair looking luscious, even in the waning days of winter.

As much as I enjoy splurging from time to time on pricey beauty products, I also really like trying out simple, DIY beauty items. Not so long ago I wrote about home-made hair care -- using foods like mayonnaise and beer to soften and brighten your hair. I think what I like about at-home beauty is that, since the tips are usually cheap, barring any major disasters you can figure out which products you like without having to waste a tonne of money on stuff that turns out to be not so great.

I was pretty excited to find this list of 10 great budget beauty products that you can make at home. They're all really simple, containing only a few ingredients each. In addition, a number of the 'recipes' include a lot of the same ingredients -- like essential oils and rubbing alcohol, so you only have to buy a few things and can still try most of the ideas. All you need is a range of empty bottles and containers and you're good to get started.

I am a sucker for expensive hair care products. Pricey shampoos and conditioners, any kind of serum that promises shiny results and expensive visits to the salon for a new color are all part of my hair routine. But I also know that fancy packaging and a big price tags don't necessarily guarantee quality, and that there are plenty of inexpensive alternatives.

Many of these can be found at home -- in your refrigerator. A couple of years ago I embarked on my only little adventure wherein I tried out a few of the food products that I'd heard were great on your hair to see if they really worked. I was surprised and impressed that most of them did! Although I didn't stick with any of them (lets face it -- hair that smells of mayo isn't as enticing as hair that smells like Aveda), I still think they're worth giving a try if you're curious.

Most of us know to take care of our hands and faces in order to keep a youthful look but do you ever think about how your hair may make you look older? It's not something that I had really considered until I saw this piece that gives advice on how to keep your hair looking as young as the rest of you.

After age 30, women's hair begins to get thinner so help keep your mane strong and think by eating plenty of protein and limiting the amount of time it's braided or in a ponytail, as these styles can cause breakage and damage hair roots. Always use conditioner when you wet your hair in order to prevent dryness and only use dryers, curling irons and straighteners a few times a week, as the high heat can cook your hair.

Finally, be willing to take the time to find a cut that looks good on you (just because a style is current and looks hot on a model in a magazine doesn't mean it will suit your face), and make sure to cover gray with an appropriate color. If you're not sure what will work for you, pay a professional to help you pick a color and style -- it'll be worth the cash.

While the gorgeous summer weather took a turn for the worse where I live today (cool and rainy after a month of solid sunshine), until now it has been hot, hot, hot and I know it will heat up again pretty quick. On super warm and humid days, it can be really tough to look good.

You can do your best to stay pretty sitting on a patio, out at a music festival or whatever fun outdoor locale or event you may wind up at, but often no matter how much time you spend beautifying indoors beforehand, once you head out the door your hair frizzes, you sweat though your clothes and your make-up melts. Not a pretty picture.

If you want to look your best all summer long, try out some of the products listed here. They include a leave-in conditioner to tame pouffey, out-of-control curls, lotion and blotting tissue for overly-oily skin, peppermint foot spray for sweaty, stinky feet and eye make-up that won't run down your face. Just because it's hot out doesn't mean you can't look cool.

Here are some healthy home cooling tips that help you use less energy and save money on your utility bill this summer while trying to cool your house during the hottest months of the year.

1. Dry air feels cooler than moist air. Moist air raises humidity factors. So by running a dehumidifier in the house it not only will cut down on mold but it will make it feel cooler.

2. On very hot days, you can save energy by closing the fresh air intake on your unit. Cooling fresh, warm outside air requires more electricity than re-cooling the air that is already circulating in your home.

3. On hot summer days, the temperature in your attic can range from 100 to 150 degrees. Improving the ventilation or increasing the insulation in your attic will lower the temperature of the entire house and make your air conditioner's job a lot easier. Also installing an attic fan that is controlled by a thermostat to exhaust the hot air out of your attic will improve the comfort of your home.

4. You can save on cooling costs by avoiding cooling rooms that are not occupied. Keep the doors shut to those rooms and close off the vents.

5. We all like to come home to a nice cool house after a long days work but why run the air conditioner all day. Special automatic timers for air conditioners are available that will turn the unit on before you arrive home.

6. Regular maintenance will insure that your air conditioner operates efficiently throughout the summer. Changing the filters once a month keeps it flowing and cooling better. You can also check your owner's guide to find out how to safely clean the condenser coils and fins on the outside of the unit.

7. Keep the doors going outside shut to keep cool air in.

8. Keep shades or blinds closed on the side of the house where the sun is shining in.