There are people in your life that just push your buttons.  But you have to deal with them because they’re a coworker or neighbor or a relative.  Here’s how.

Prepare Yourself

Thinking about potential criticisms ahead of time allows you to have an appropriate response on hand should you need it. So when Aunt Martha says it looks like you gained weight, thank her for being concerned and then change the subject. If you don’t get engaged in the content of her comment, you push her back into a positive intent which makes a person think about why she offered a rude comment.

Play Devil’s Advocate

Realize that every single human being has a different way of looking at life, “then make an effort to understand the other person’s point of view. If you try to approach things from his or her perspective, you may find that potentially sticky conversations will go far more smoothly.

Cultivate Positivity

People who are at ease, polite and socially adept, understanding and considerate are always charming and attractive. Dress well, work on accepting compliments gracefully—without worrying about whether you deserve them—be pleasant, and smile. Practice these skills long enough, and they will become second-nature.

Take a look at other ways to get along with people here.

When you’re trying to eat healthy or lose weight you know to eliminate carbs from your diet.  BUT carbs are what give your body energy.  And did you know that not getting enough carbohydrates will make you sluggish, irritable, and unable to concentrate?  So you need carbs.  But not all carbs are created equally. 

Eating carbs won’t necessarily make you gain weight.

No matter what diet you follow, if you eat too many calories, you’ll gain weight.  And vice versa: if you eat fewer calories, you’ll lose weight.  But the catch is picking the right carbs.  Starchy carbs are high in calories so you must eat less of them.  These include potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, and more.  To help, a serving size of these should be the size of a tennis ball or your fist.

Pasta, bread and rice aren’t the only carbs.

Vegetables, fruit and even dairy foods also contain carbs. But grains tend to pack more than these other foods (although some starchy veggies like potatoes, corn, peas and butternut squash are relatively high in carbs, too).

Just because a bread or cracker is brown doesn’t mean it’s whole-grain.

Many whole-grain products, like oatmeal, are naturally light in color. And manufacturers often add molasses or caramel coloring to foods made with refined grains to make them look like whole-grain products. Pumpernickel bread, for example, isn’t usually whole-grain (neither is rye bread, in case you were wondering). So don’t trust your eyes! The best way to tell if a bread, cereal or cracker is whole-grain is to check the ingredients list.

Discover other things you should know about carbs here.

Anyone who has gone online knows there's a really simple way to avoid scams that always works:  DON'T CLICK ON ANY LINKS.  But for some reason people can't seem to help themselves, and the scams keep multiplying.  So here are ways to recognize a scam and avoid getting ripped off.

#1.)  An email says "URGENT!"  When a legitimate business urgently needs your attention, they call you.  But scammers make EVERYTHING sound urgent, because they're trying to make you do something without thinking it through.  And it usually involves them telling you some kind of account information is being "compromised."

#2.)  The sender's email doesn't match the link you're clicking on.  This should be a dead giveaway, but a lot of scammers really are that lazy.  If you get an email from a gmail.com address, and the link is sending you to a different URL, don't click.

#3.)  The link has a sketchy URL of any kind.  Anyone can make a phony site LOOK legit, but no one can fake the URL.  Look at the web address in the field at the top of the page:  It might be off by a single letter, or it might have a zero in place of an "o".  Another way to tell is that a legitimate website that asks for personal information will always be encrypted, and the URL will start with "https://" NOT "http://".  A phony site often won't, because it costs money to encrypt a site, and scammers are greedy.

#4.)  The site has an invalid or expired security certificate.  Every modern browser will pop up with a warning when it comes across a site without a valid security certificate.  If that kind of site asks you for sensitive information, don't give it. 

Find other ways to spot an internet scam here.

We have the most beautiful Spring seasons here in San Antonio.  So bring it inside your home to celebrate!

Supermarket flower power. Flowers from the grocery store are an easy and inexpensive way to bring a fresh dose of spring indoors. Divide a large bouquet into several small vases to brighten every room in the house. Or group several flowers in different shades of the same color to create one bold arrangement. For the freshest flowers, ask a clerk when they receive deliveries and shop on that day. Look for flowers with firm stems and slightly opened buds, and avoid ones with slimy stems, discolored leaves and wilting petals.

Springtime is for the birds. Nothing ushers in the start of spring quite like the sound of birds chirping. To enjoy the sights and sounds of spring inside your home, hang a bird feeder outside the window of a room where you spend most of your time.

Pops of color. There’s no better way to transform your home for spring than by adding pops of fresh color. Even simple things like adding throw pillows in a modern green print or an area rug in a colorful floral pattern can make a big impact. Or, go all out and paint an accent wall in a cheerful yellow or luscious green.

Learn other ways to celebrate Spring here.

Surprisingly age-old wisdom is more fact than folk-lore.  So it turns out mother knows best.

“If you keep making that face, it’ll freeze that way.”

While your expression won’t freeze in an instant, “repeated facial movements — especially ones held for long periods of time — can cause lines over time. Consistent muscle contractions pull skin while age and sun exposure weaken skin’s collagen, making it less likely to bounce back from the temporary tugs and creases. Eventually short-term lines turn into permanent, visible ones.

“You look prettier with your hair off your face.”

Too much hair covering your face can drag your features down. Styling hair away from the face looks natural and plays up your features. Just be sure to keep hair soft and not pulled back tightly, which can add years to your appearance. Keeping hair out of the way also helps prevent skin from absorbing the styling products in your locks, which can clog pores and cause breakouts (not quite the youthful look you’re going for).

“Less is more when it comes to makeup.”

Women don’t need more makeup as they age — they need the right makeup. Any dry substance on the face piles on the years by accentuating creases, so toss the heavy powders and matte lip colors. Use a clear setting powder with a satiny finish that diffuses lines instead. Swap matte lip colors for creamy, satiny, or glossy ones, and avoid harsh lines when applying makeup, as they look old-fashioned. “Go for a smudgy, smoldering look around the eyes; look for softer lip pencils; and make sure you blend, blend, blend.

Check out other things your mom was right about here.

Got stress? Most of us do. And you’re probably already aware of the usual suspects, like money, kids, work, rocky relationships and your health. But maybe you haven’t considered the lesser-known stressors in your life. Without us even knowing it, there are plenty of unexpected causes of day-to-day worry and anxiety.

Your Doctor

You go to visit the doctor to feel better, right? But many women may find that certain doctors’ interpersonal skills and lack of “bedside manner” can leave them feeling agitated and anxious. In fact, many women may leave the doctor’s office feeling more stressed out than when they arrived. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to find a new physician.

Your Bedroom

It’s supposed to be the most restful, calming room in your house. Is that true of yours? If there’s unfolded laundry piled high on your bed and clutter on your bedside table, it may not only be interfering with your sleep—it could also be increasing your stress levels. Past studies have found a correlation between messy homes and unhappiness, mild depression and elevated anxiety. With a busy life, things can pile up before you know it. It's hard to clean up a huge mess, so take it one step at a time. And if you're feeling overwhelmed, you can even bring in a professional organizer.

Your Alarm Clock

Research has indicated that alarm clocks illuminated with blue light may interfere with circadian rhythms, possibly interrupting your sleep, which can sap you of energy and leave you underprepared to deal with daily stress. Alarm clocks with a loud, shrill pitch may also produce a jarring effect that can jolt the body with stress upon waking.

Your Computer

If you take your work laptop home on the weekends, maybe you should reconsider—or at least designate one day during which you don’t think about work or feel tempted to turn on your computer. Here’s why: Studies have indicated that when people are in front of a computer they often exhibit stress responses, such as increased breathing rates and tense arms and shoulders. Information overload is stressful and affects you physically. Limit your screen time, don't check your e-mail so often and take frequent breaks.”

Get more causes of stress and how to fight them here.

FAT FOOD TRAP: Bread

It’s terribly easy to eat too much in a single sitting. If you can't live without sandwiches, then you should have them, but try to splurge on only those couple of slices of bread a day. Bread isn't evil; it just tends to be hard to control for people who love it.

WHAT TO EAT INSTEAD: Grains

Slice your protein or veggies over grains including whole-wheat pasta, wild rice, couscous, or quinoa (pic below).

FAT FOOD TRAP: Fruit-flavored yogurt

When Weight Watchers asked 10,000 dieters to eat wholesome foods — like grains, vegetables, dairy, and lean protein — they saw that people often ate four containers of low-fat yogurt a day if the fruit was mixed in. But if the subjects had to stir in the fruit themselves, they stopped at only one cup.

WHAT TO EAT INSTEAD: Plain, nonfat yogurt — you add fresh fruit

Mixing in fruit yourself is enough to prevent you from mindless overeating, says Karen Miller-Kovach, R.D., chief scientific officer for Weight Watchers International and head of the healthy-eating program.

Take a look at other healthy foods that aren’t that healthy here.

An internal memo at Yahoo introducing a ban on working from home has sparked a debate on whether remote working leads to greater productivity and job satisfaction or kills creativity and is just a chance to slack off.

Statistics from the US Bureau of Labour show nearly 25 per cent of full-time workers did some work at home in 2010.

"Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussion, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home," said the memo attributed to Yahoo human resources head Jacqueline Reses.

Asked about the memo, a Yahoo spokesman said the company does not comment on internal matters.

Read more here. 

Taking your pet to the vet is not a fun, or easy, task.  Here are some ways to make the experience less stressful for both of you.

Create a Cozy Crate

Pet owners often make the mistake of pulling out a crate or carrier only when it’s time to go to the vet, which can terrify animals. The solution? Encourage your pet to spend time in its carrier even if you aren’t leaving the house. Treat the crate as furniture, setting it up in your pet’s favorite spot in the house. Keep the door open and adorn the crate with soft bedding, toys, and treats to entice your pet.

Make an Appointment to Play

If the only time you saw the doctor were to get a shot, wouldn’t you be scared, too? Then go to the vet for supervised playtime. Your pets will associate the vet’s environment with a place where they receive love. Although many vets allow this type of visit, check with the office first.

Be a Chatty Cathy

No pet owner will call you crazy for talking to your pet, especially when you’re at the vet. After all, this may do your pet some good. Talking to your pets in a calming voice can help relax them.

Pack a Mat

As if going to the vet weren’t bad enough, most animals probably do not appreciate lying on a cold, hard surface. Make the visit more pleasant by bringing a rubber mat. Place it on the exam table for your cat or dog. Your pet will feel more comfortable and won’t slide around as much.

Look into other ways you can make the visit easier here.