Blog Posts by Reader s Digest Magazine

Author Michael Pollan may have one of the hardest jobs: trying to help people make better food choices while battling junk-food marketers' attempts to undermine his advice. The major problem he faces, as he told The Washington Post, is that marketers take his rules and use them against him.

The advice: Buy products with five ingredients or fewer

Pollan says he and others have repeated the mantra, "Don't buy anything with more than five ingredients," in hopes that people will purchase fresh produce and lean meats. Feeding off of this advice, though, Haagen Dazs started its five campaign. While the ice creams in this line technically have only five ingredients, those ingredients are high in sugar, fat, and empty calories. Plus, says Pollan, "They didn't change anything…it was the same five ingredients they had before."

Pollan also discusses a Tostitos commercial in which a woman compares Pringles to Tostitos, choosing the tortilla chips because they have fewer ingredients.

By Annie Favreau

We're all raised on the idea that curiosity killed the cat. Yet a natural inclination toward nosiness can be a fantastic asset for certain jobs. If you're intrigued by the prospect of digging for dirt - or just fascinated by other people's business - here are six jobs that will keep you snooping to your heart's content.

1. Online Reputation Manager
Anyone who's ever Googled themselves - and let's be honest, who hasn't? - will appreciate the work of an Online Reputation Manager.

Whether responding to complaints about a company's product or scrounging up Facebook photos of a celebrity inhaling something strange, online rep managers strive to create a spotless online image for their clients. And that means you spend lots of time playing online detective to proactively scour, downplay, or explain away any scandal, slander or simple misinformation. For public relations specialist positions like this one, demand is skyrocketing - with expected growth at 24 percent or

Instead of battling wrinkles with expensive creams and medical procedures, why not give these natural remedies a try?

Egg whites
Whip up several egg whites in a small bowl. Massage onto your skin, allowing to sit and dry at least 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and let the natural B vitamins and rich Vitamin E work their rejuvenating magic.

Olive oil
Natural olive oil can help your skin stay soft and supple. Gently massage a few drops on your face before bedtime and rinse with a soft towel. You'll wake to skin that's soft and healthy looking.

Massage
Using your favorite gentle lotion, take a few minutes to give your face a massage with a firm but gentle touch. Focus on problem areas like your neck, under your eyes, and your forehead. For a treat, visit a reputable spa for a relaxing facial that concentrates on your problem areas.

Fruits and vegetables
Fresh fruits and vegetables filled with Vitamins A and D will help to plump your skin and make it seem

You probably already know what to do at the gym, but do you know what not to do? Fitness expert Mike Donavanik, CSCS, CPT and creator of Extreme Burn: Total Body Interval Training DVD gives us his take on the top 8 don'ts of gym etiquette:

1. Don't hog the machines
Remember, the gym is a communal place. If someone wants to work in with you, let him/her. They're not trying to cramp your style, they're just trying to get their workout in and better themselves - just like you!

2. Don't leave the machine dripping
Nothing is grosser than coming across a machine with someone else's sweat on it. It's also unsanitary! Take the extra second to place a towel down on your machine/bench BEFORE you start using it. If you forget, take the extra time to wipe it down after you're done using it. Many gyms will provide wipes just for this purpose!

3. Don't forget to put your weights in their proper place
You know how annoying it is when you can't find something around your

Did you know that simply reading to your child is one of the best things you can do for his or her education? It's much more valuable than just as a bedtime sleep inducer! Reading aloud to children does the following:

• Helps them hear language in new and different ways.
• Gives them a sense of story.
• Leads to better performance in reading, writing, listening, and other school subjects, according to researchers.
• Creates a bond between the reader and the child, facilitating a special memory association between reading and a happy experience.
• Turns many children into life-long readers. And a life-long reader is a life-long learner!

10 tips to get the most out of your reading time

1. Read every day, even if you only have a few minutes. This models that daily reading is an important part of each day. Children also love a pleasant routine. They will look forward to this special time.

2. Create a cozy place to read together. It can be a special chair, or even a pile of

If conversation makes the meal, avoid making a common mistake when you're dining with another person, or several others.

Somewhere along the line it became common wisdom that the key to being a good dinner partner is to keep the conversation focused on the person you're with, and then "be a good listener." So now, who knows how many restaurant meals consist of one diner having to answer 75 questions before she or he has buttered the first roll.

"Yes, you do have to listen," says Susan RoAne, a California business networking consultant and author of What Do I Say Next? and How to Work a Room. "But if all you do is ask questions, I'm going to clam up and my attitude becomes, 'What's it to ya?' "

The bottom line: Instead of grilling the person across the table from you, bring something to the party yourself. Good conversation strikes a balance between giving and receiving. "Naturally you want to show you're interested in your dinner partner," RoAne says. "But you want to be

The lives of the world's greatest chefs must be glamorous, right? Sometimes, yes-but day to day, chefs are actually more down to earth than you may think. Check out what these top chefs (all of whom will wow foodies at the 13th annual New York magazine Taste a World of Flavors culinary event next week) really cook after a long day over a hot grill.