Blog Posts by Good Housekeeping

SalmonI recently learned a lot about the sustainability of fish, both farmed and wild, from the Norwegian Seafood Council. What I learned more than anything else is that there's so much more to learn. It's incredibly difficult to know and evaluate which fish are okay to eat. Here's a simple way of figuring it all out:

Whole Foods Market has made it really easy. Starting on Earth Day 2012, they will no longer sell any red-rated fish, which the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Blue Ocean Institute consider overfished or fished in ways damaging to the environment. Even better, the Whole Foods fish counters label the seafood that they do sell green and yellow, with the former being a better choice than the latter.

Related: 10 Weight Loss Myths You Shouldn't Believe

If you don't shop at Whole Foods Market, you can do what I do. Download the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch app on your phone or check it out online. It's updated regularly and will help you make good choices.

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Marriage mythsMany so-called "inevitable" marriage pitfalls are really just unexamined old wives' tales. On closer inspection, two facts become clear: There's only a trace of truth in each fable - but there's also the potential to retool them to make your relationship even closer. Here are five of the most enduring myths, plus new rules to replace them.

Myth 1: Never go to bed angry. If you don't hash through every conflict right away, it'll lead to resentment and ultimately blowups.

As marriage folklore goes, the idea that it's imperative to settle every disagreement before day's end is pretty well entrenched. (After all, that's the way some people read that "Do not let the sun go down on your wrath" line from the Bible, as well as how others interpret the pop-psychology dictum "voicing grievances clears the air.") And many of us have accepted the premise that if we don't address disputes at once, all that unresolved conflict just festers inside us and we'll wake up angrier each day,

Microwave mythsHere at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, we get to work with all kinds of appliances. Of all that we see, few are misunderstood more than the microwave oven. I recently had the chance to attend a Microwaves 101 course offered by the International Microwave Power Institute (IMPI) where I not only learned how these ovens work, but had a few popular myths debunked by Bob Schiffman, the President of IMPI who's been working with microwaves since 1961. Here's what you should know.

1. Myth: Microwaves cause cancer

While microwave ovens do transfer energy to food using electromagnetic waves, the waves are incapable of causing cancer and are less harmful than the sun's rays. They're also contained within the oven and stop transmitting the instant a cycle ends or the door is opened.

Related: 10 Weight Loss Myths You Shouldn't Believe

2. Myth: You can't microwave metal

While it's true there are certain metals you can't microwave (such as metal twist ties or solid

Easy memory tricksSometimes I think my memory is actually too good. Like when I realize I still know the lyrics to nearly every song released in the '80s. But then I'll go to transfer a load of laundry into the dryer and discover that it's already dry; seems I forgot to ever turn on the washer. Or I'll forget my neighbor's name - again. Could it be that song lyrics are taking up so much brain space there's none left for remembering when my next dentist appointment is or whether I've mailed the mortgage payment this month?

My mom blames 21st-century information overload for her everyday memory lapses - misplacing her glasses or walking into the kitchen only to forget what she needed there. "There's some truth to that," says Gary Small, M.D.,director of the Memory & Aging Research Center at UCLA. "Our lives may be more frenetic, but we actually have the capacity to remember much more than we do," he says. "We simply need to work on improving our attention."

Read on for 11 smart short- and

In honor of Mother's Day, Peggy Post tackles your most vexing moments, from teens who curse like crazy to parents who pick up their little darlings a couple of hours late.

Q: I'm a working mom with Working mom dilemmafriends who stay home with the kids. How do I respond to comments like "I didn't have my son to let someone else raise him"?

A: This is one of those touchy topics, with moms on either side often trying to justify their choices. The comment above can slip out before the stay-at-home mom even thinks about it. That doesn't make it OK, but remember: You know you're raising your kids. Can't let the comment lie? Try, "To be clear, I do raise my kids." And don't overlook the value of befriending other working moms.

Q: How should I reply when another mom asks how my daughter did on the SAT? I'm shocked that anyone would even ask!

A: There's absolutely no need to answer, whether the question comes from a close pal or a competitive neighbor. Just say: "She did fine; thanks for asking," or "Thanks for

TAuthor Cystal McCraryhis month marks the arrival of Crystal McCrary's new book Inspiration, a collection of first-person essays by black women who are changing the world, one remarkable story at a time. Here, in her own words, McCrary shares the far-reaching impact of their influence, and the top 10 lessons she learned from female powerhouses, including a singer, an environmental strategist, a journalist, an international diplomat, and more.

1. Be open to the excellence and inspiration around you.
Appointed by President Barack Obama as the first African-American woman Ambassador to the Bahamas, Nicole Avant shared a story about her godfather, the legendary music producer Quincy Jones. She talked about being home with him one night watching him write on dozens of pieces of paper, then ball them up and throw them away. She said he must have thrown over a hundred pieces of paper away. Finally, Nicole asked him what he was doing and he said, "Working on this new album for Michael Jackson called

Budge-Proof Your Makeup1. Prevent Raccoon Eyes
Sure, waterproof mascara has staying power, but you can harm your lashes trying to remove it. To get just its benefits, apply a coat of your favorite mascara, then use a waterproof variety for a second coat. "This locks in the mascara, but its removal is easier on lashes," says makeup artist Andrew Sotomayor.

2. Layer Your Blush
Keep your rosy glow by using two kinds of cheek color, says Cory Bishop, lead makeup artist for Temptu. Apply a cream formulation, like Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge ($24, department stores), on clean skin. Top with foundation, then dust on a powder blush in a similar shade. "When that top layer wears off, you'll still have a flush," Bishop explains.

3. Brush On Base
For lasting foundation, it's best not to use your fingers, says Ashunta Sheriff, Mary Kay celebrity makeup artist: "The oils in your skin will mix with the oils in the product, causing it to dissolve and slide." Stipple on with a makeup sponge or a flat

Happiness expert Gretchen RubinWhen I talk to people about happiness,one question that often arises is, "Sure, happiness has many elements. But if you had to pick the most important thing, what is the key to happiness?" It's a question that can be answered in different ways, depending on what framework you use to ponder the issue, but if I had to choose, I think there are three keys to happiness.

The first key? Self-knowledge

"Know yourself" is advice that people have been doling out for thousands of years - "Know Thyself" is inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, the monument from ancient Greece that still stands today - and it's also one of the most challenging.

As part of my happiness project, I identified my 12 Personal Commandments - the 12 principles that I want to guide my actions and thoughts - and the first, most important commandment is, "Be Gretchen."

Why is it so hard to know ourselves? You'd think that nothing could be simpler or more obvious. After all, you're hanging out with