It's not always possible to measure our food into precise little containers prior to eating to ensure we're getting a properly-sized portion. That's what we have hands for. And thumbs. And palms. Yep, everything you need to know about how much you need to eat is in your hands, says Makeover Momma, who writes for the new-mom set but has tips that can transfer to all of us. Check these out.

• A protein serving should be size of your fist. Makeover Momma suggests you focus on proteins like lean chicken or fish, an egg white omelet, or a serving of quinoa.
  
• Grains or carbohydrates should fill one cupped palm. Think one slice of bread, a cup of brown rice, or a moderately-sized whole grain bagel.
• Two tablespoons of anything is equivalent to the size of both of your thumbs. Use this guide for the peanut butter you spread on that whole-wheat bagel, fresh tomato sauce you pour over pasta, or the dressing you choose for your salads.
  
  

Two other tips from this wise Momma: Keep your servings to a variety of unprocessed foods whenever possible and eat only when you're hungry. Want more from this gal, who happens to think it's entirely possible to be fit, fashionable, and fabulous after kids? Click right here.

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My son is 11. Part of the job description of being a pre-teen boy is to be dirty. Almost constantly dirty. When he's home for the summer, it's easy for me to remind him to wash his hands. But school is starting in a few short days and hand washing habits will become even more important.

Henry the Hand is a great site that makes hand washing a fun, simple activity for kids. It promotes some simple principles:

• Wash your hands whenever they're dirty and before eating
• Don't cough or sneeze into your hands
• Don't put dirty fingers near your eyes, nose, or mouth.

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Ah, the power of food. Even small portions of food have power, like small salads.

Small salads eaten just before a meal can keep your knees and hands free of arthritis. It's the vitamin K found in leafy greens like cabbage, spinach, and swiss chard that reduces the risk of joint damage.

Here's what science says about this salad scoop: Those with higher blood levels of vitamin K have significantly less chance of developing bone spurs and cartilage damage, common complaints of those with painful osteoarthritis. Hands seem to benefit the most, but knees get a dose of protection too.

Once word of caution before you mix up those greens: if you are on blood thinners, check with your doctor to determine how much vitamin K is appropriate for you.

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Protect yourself in the outdoors, says The American Cancer Society (ACS) -- read all about it here -- and protect your picnic food too, say the cancer experts who are sending me an electronic monthly newsletter all about healthy living.

Warm weather poses a big threat of food-borne illness, according to the ACS. So: Keep bacteria away at your next outdoor feast with these five easy steps.

• Wash your hands before cooking and again after cooking, especially after touching raw meat. If you aren't near a faucet, grab a wet napkin or hand sanitizer -- they'll reduce the number of germs on your hands.

• Keep hot food hot. Hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken should be kept at 140 degrees F or warmer.

• Keep cold foods cold. Even if you've got your food packed in a cooler, tuck it in a shady area. Keep at 41 degrees F or cooler.

• Wash melons before cutting them. This way, less bacteria will slip into the flesh from the rind when you slice them.

• Bring extra plates to cut down on cross-contamination. Use some to handle raw foods and others to handle cooked foods.

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Whether there is a science behind kissing or if it is merely a learned behavior remains unknown. Nevertheless, there is an actual science of kissing, which is known as philematology. And while these lip-lock scientists attempt to make sense of the act of kissing, London researchers are finding reasons why it's actually a safer way of greeting someone.

According to scientists at the London School of Hygiene, you're more likely to pass along germs and infection by shaking someone's hand than you are by kissing them. Because some people do not properly wash their hands -- which also tend to be the part of the body that is used to touch, carry, or move items (some of which may contain bacteria) -- it's more likely to carry germs on them than it is the mouth.

I'm not saying that you should go and make out with the next person you meet, but this whole issue does point to the importance of hand hygiene in breaking the chain of infection.

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Adding salt to your food is generally frowned upon--that dreaded sodium is no good for your body--but that doesn't mean you should throw out your salt shakers. According to Mark's Daily Apple, here are some interesting ways to use salt:

• In your shoes: Putting a pinch of salt in your shoes will help reduce odor. Who knew?
• On your hands: Mix some salt with white or malt vinegar and rub it in your hands to get rid of the smell of chopping garlic or onions.
  
• On your apples: Submerging apple slices in a solution of cold salt water will keep them from going brown without compromising taste.
  
• On bites: A paste of salt and water will help relieve itch and pain associated with bee strings and mosquito bites.
  
• In your coffee: A small pinch of salt will take away any bitter taste in your java.
  
  

There are lots more ways to use salt -- head over to Mark's Daily Apple for more great tips.

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Not only should you dish out hugs and kisses on Valentine's Day. You should dish them out every day, because these natural signs of affection -- holding hands counts too -- can really do a body good.

The reason most of us reach for a hand, cuddle our loved ones, and smooch sweet little babies is because it feels good. I guess that's because it is good.

Researchers are now looking deep into the brain to explore how these loving practices help the heart, boost the immune system, and lower blood pressure. What they're finding is that human touch triggers a cascade of events inside the body, reprogramming heart rate, blood pressure, and certain mood-altering brain chemicals. Consider this:

• Couples in one study who held hands for several minutes and then hugged for 20 seconds experienced an immediate drop in blood pressure and heart rate. Couples with no close contact had no such benefits.

• A Japanese researcher found that when men and women with chronic skin allergies or hay fever spent 30 minutes kissing their partners, blood levels of immunoglobulin E, a compound that triggers allergic reactions, plummeted. Those who spent time cuddling, but not kissing, did not reap the same reward.

• When deep in stress, women who hold hands with their husbands gain quick relief.
  
  

The point of this post: To urge you to not just celebrate Valentine's Day tomorrow but to celebrate it all year long. You might be a happier, healthier person if you do.

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This one is for the guys, although it can be geared toward just about anyone. Doctor Ken received a question from a girl who caught her boyfriend not washing his hands after using the bathroom, so he addressed a few reasons why men should be cleaning their paws more. After all, a recent study found that more than 60 percent of us don't make habits of washing.

For starters, keep them clean on a regular basis. Especially before you eat! That should be common knowledge, but you'd be surprised (I'm guilty of this all too often). Public areas are particularly notorious for harboring all kinds of germs -- like shopping carts and door handles for example. Don't forget to wash well. Twenty seconds should be a goal, which can seem like a lifetime under the sink.

Ever used a paper towel to open the bathroom door on your way out? That's an easy way to avoid picking up nasty germs all over again. Another tip pits hand sanitizers against traditional soap. All things considered, hand washing is probably better. But due to the alcohol content of sanitizers, they work well on killing germs too. There are some other tips, so check them out here!

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During the summer months plenty of lecturing goes on about looking after your skin by wearing an SPF lotion and drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. The result, for most of us, is that we look pretty darn good all summer. Later on when the plummeting temperatures and harsh winds of winter settle in, many of us aren't so well prepared and spend months suffering with chapped lips and dry skin. I know that by February my legs start to take on the appearance of a scaly fish, and are also often itchy and sore.

There is no reason, however, why your skin can't look as good in the winter as it does in the summer -- as long as you're prepared to look after it, that is. This piece recommends concentrating on what you put in your body, as what you eat will be reflected by how you look on the outside. According to the article, a diet full of fish, beans, nuts, whole grains, leafy green veggies and flax seed oil (which is full of Omega-3 fatty acids), will help ensure your face -- and the rest of your body -- continues to look fresh during weeks of nasty weather.

Naturally though, there are a number of ways to take care of you skin that have nothing to do with what you're eating. Some of the tips on winter skincare listed here include:

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I don't think it completely starts with your hands, but it can certainly help to work on your grip a little bit. Not only will it give you an awesome handshake (but don't overdo it and be that person) but it can also help you do more at the gym when you go to lift weights for the rest of your body.

So if you're looking to kickstart your strength training regimen how about trying one of these grips that Women's Health recommends? There's Therapy Putty, the CandoDigiflex, and the Thera-Band flexbar, so you can easily find something that sounds right for you. Personally the putty idea sounds good to me -- sort of strength training plus stress relief rolled into one.

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Do you trust your hands? When it comes to cleanliness, you shouldn't in many cases. The hands are probably one of the largest transmitters of disease and viruses known anywhere, and it's because we constantly touch things. Along the way, we pick up things and transfer others -- microscopically, of course.

I love the idea of the "Clean Hands Report Card" suggested by the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA). With winter and fall comes the increasing infections from cold viruses and other maladies. So much could be prevented by making sure your hands are clean at all times. Well, when possible.

Want some current clean hands grades? They are not good for some of us:

• Students: D
• Dads: D+
• Moms: B-
• Teachers: B-
• School nurses/health professionals: B+

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You can spend a fortune on fancy face moisturizers and wrinkle-reducing eye-creams, botox yourself into an expressionless oblivion and go through the pain of plastic surgery in order to stay young looking (and I say go for it, if you've got the money and it makes you feel good about yourself), but no matter what you do to keep your face looking young, if you forget to look after your hands as well, they'll be a dead giveaway to your real age.

Sun exposure over the years as well as the natural aging process result in things like dryness, sunspots and bulging veins, which all act as aging agents on your hands. Moisturizers with SPF as well as alpha-hydroxy acids can help prevent and treat thin and dry skin, as well as sun spots. For more ideas on products and treatments -- both cheap and not-so-cheap -- that will help you keep your hands looking as young and fit as the rest of you, check out the information provided here.

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The iLimb, from Touch Bionics, is now generally available and has been successfully fitted to patients all across the U.S. and in Europe. The iLimb is a big deal because it not only looks like a real human hand but it acts like one too, with 5 individually powered fingers and the ability to sense when enough pressure has been applied in delicate situations like picking up a glass or holding someone's hand. And it can even be adapted to fit people who only need a partial hand due to missing fingers from accident, war, or congenital defect.

This iLimb totally looks like something out of the movie iRobot, don't you think? Must be the white plastic.

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As you've almost certainly experienced, the first thing that hits you when you open a bottle of nail polish is that awful smell. This is due to the chemicals nail polish is made from -- namely phtalates, solvents and formaldehydes, along with a few fragrances, synthetic preservatives and dyes. For many people, this can cause an allergic reaction.

Chances are, you won't find a nail polish that doesn't use these chemicals. However, there are some alternatives that aren't quite so toxic -- like those offered by Honeybee Gardens and Natural Solutions.

That said, they apparently aren't very effective, and might still trigger a reaction in those with more severe allergies. So, Linda McCloud of BeyondAllergy.com offers some simple tips for great-looking nails without polish.

1. Keep your fingernails clean.
2. Soak them frequently in a bowl of warm water and gentle soap.
3. File them weekly.
4. Use a nail buffer to keep them ridge free and shinier.
5. For extra white and shine, use a half of a lemon as a buffer.

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Can hand sanitizers cause alcohol poisoning in children? There are stories out there of it happening, including one of a child acting disoriented and off-balance after drinking half of a bottle, and a little girl becoming incoherent and lethargic after being seen by classmates licking sanitizer off her hands.

According to experts the average child would have to drink at least an ounce or more of hand sanitizer to notice any serious effects from the alcohol content, but regardless kids should always be supervised and the sanitizer stored out of reach -- just to be on the safe side.

Over-reaction, or hazardous material?

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