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    Blog Posts by Good Housekeeping

    • 14 Ways to Boost Your Earning Power

      Boost your earnings with these tipsThink going back to school is the only way to "up" your earning potential? Think again! Hitting the books doesn't always lead to an increase in salary but it definitely leads to an increase in debt. Learn how to boost your pay, network effectively, and develop new skills - without stepping foot in the classroom.

      Alexandra Levit, author of the Blind Spots: The 10 Business Myths You Can't Afford to Believe on Your New Path to Success, and Alison Green, the blogger behind Ask A Manager, weigh in on how to maximize your money-making potential whether you're seeking a promotion or hoping to land a new gig.

      1. Be Proactive
      Instead of asking your boss what tasks you should add to your to-do list, come to the table with suggestions in mind.

      2. Ask for a Raise
      Before asking for a raise, make sure you deserve one. Don't approach your boss with this request until you pinpoint specific reasons why your performance warrants a pay increase. Schedule a follow-up meeting after

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    • Worried About Food Recalls? You Should Be! Here's 15 Ways to Keep Food Safe

      Simple steps to ensure your food is safeFirst, organic baby spinach was recalled (again!) in 39 states due to possible E coli. contamination. And then, Kellogg's recalled 36,000 boxes of Special K Red Berries cereal due to concerns over glass fragments. It seems no food (fresh or packaged) is safe. So what can you do? Once a recall hits, you can only dispose of the product and follow the guidelines. Fortunately, there are other ways you can minimize health risks. Here's a handy checklist to get you started.

      In the Supermarket

      1. Prioritize your shopping
      Pick up canned and packaged foods first, then fresh items. Keep raw meat away from other edibles, since its packaging could be leaky.

      2. Check that the produce cooler is cold
      "Many food-borne bugs thrive in warmer temperatures," says Trevor Suslow, Ph.D., an extension research specialist at UC Davis.

      3. Keep a cooler with ice packs in your trunk
      In order to prevent pathogens from multiplying, food should not be at room temperature or above for more

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    • 7 Anti-Aging Ingredients You Need to Know

      Fight aging with the right beauty productsWith a slew of anti-aging ingredients claiming to be the Holy Grail of eternal youth, choosing skincare products is overwhelming! But you can shop smart, if you do your research. We've done the work for you and broken down the key players in this handy cheat sheet.

      1. Retinol
      Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A, making it a milder version of retinoids (a prescription-only wrinkle fighter). While it takes several weeks to see results, retinol is the most effective over-the-counter anti-aging ingredient when it comes to "smoothing wrinkles, unclogging pores, lightening superficial brown spots, and improving the texture of the skin," says Amy Wechsler, New York City dermatologist. Because of retinol's potency, skin irritation is common, especially in direct sunlight. Apply retinol-based products at night on dry skin to avoid sensitivity and be sure to apply a moisturizer with SPF every morning.

      Related: 12 Anti-Aging Essentials

      2. Niacinamide

      If you have dark spots resulting from acne

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    • 3 Cures for Dry, Chapped Skin

      Our top picks to cure dry, crackly handsEspecially in winter, hands have to withstand a daily onslaught of cold weather, dry heat, and harsh soaps. So the scientists in our Beauty Lab took up arms and gathered 22 creams, from drugstore staples to deluxe formulations. First we lab-tested moisturizing claims; then 260 testers tried the top 12 and weighed in on scent, silkiness, and how skin, nails, and cuticles felt post-slather. In the end, all our favorites kept on hydrating six hours after application - doesn't that deserve a hand?

      Related: 7 Anti-Aging Ingredients You Need to Know

      Here, our top 3 picks.

      Best Overall
      Eucerin Intensive Repair ($6, 2.7 oz., amazon.com)
      The scent-free, nongreasy purse-size potion creamed the competition on hydration.

      Best Splurge
      Aveda Hand Relief ($21, 4.2 oz., amazon.com)
      Pick this citrusy star, loaded with plant extracts, for quick absorption, major moisture, and nice conditioning for nails.

      Related: How to Treat Winter Skin

      Best Value
      Vaseline Intensive Rescue ($4, 3 oz., amazon.com

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    • 4 New Twists on Guacamole

      Spice up your guacWhether you make your guacamole from scratch or go start with our recent store-bought taste test winner, here are four ways to jazz up your guac.

      1. Smoky 'n' Sweet
      Stir in 1 finely chopped chipotle in adobo (more if you can stand the heat), 2 tsp. of the adobo sauce it's packed in, and 2 Tbsp. orange juice (a little sweet to balance the heat).

      2. Tangy Treat
      Many of the prepackaged guacamoles are a little too tame for me. I like my guac on the tangier, spicier side, so I like to stir 1/4 c. jarred salsa verde into it. Salsa verde contains a lot of the ingredients I'd be adding to it anyway, like lime juice, chiles, and onions.

      Related: Bobby Flay's Party Recipes

      3. Tropical Twist
      Sometimes if my guests aren't as into spicy foods as I am, I like to turn down the heat in my guacamole by adding some finely chopped mangoes and/or pineapple and then topping it with crumbled up bits of cooked bacon. The mangoes and pineapple bring refreshing sweetness and acidity to the rich, creamy

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    • 10 Germiest Places in Your Home

      Keep your home germ-free with these tips for cleaning your home1. Underside of Rugs
      To remove dust and dirt that's gone deep down into the rug, simply flip it over and vacuum the underside.

      2. Blinds
      The material they're made of - metal, wood, or fabric - determines how you dust them. For metal blinds, wipe with a sock lightly dampened with water or multi-purpose cleaner. For wood blinds follow the same procedure using only a little tap water. Do not overwet the wood and be sure to buff dry right away. For fabric blinds, go over the blinds with a dry microfiber cloth.


      3. Credit Cards

      These everyday essentials get handled by lots of people, and germs can lurk in the crevices around the numbers. Give debit and credit cards a quick cleaning with an alcohol wipe and let them air dry before placing them back in your wallet.

      Related: How To Speed Clean Your Bathroom In Just Minutes

      4. Kitchen Trash Can
      Clean your can or the plastic liner in your utility room sink, the shower, or outside. (Be sure to

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    • The Science Behind a Great Marriage

      Try these helpful hints for a successful marriageEveryone knows successful marriages take work but wouldn't it be great if we could uncover a secret formula to marital bliss? It turns out, researchers have done just that! Read on to discover small yet powerful ways to improve your marriage.

      Your "how-we-met" story speaks volumes.
      Next time someone at a dinner party asks, "How did you two meet?" pay attention to how you respond. Your answer can predict whether your marriage will make it, says John Gottman, PhD, a psychologist at the University of Washington, Seattle's Family Research Laboratory (aka "The Love Lab").

      Gottman took oral histories from 52 couples married an average of five years, analyzed their stories and physiological responses, and checked back with the couples in three years. Their story predicted with 94 percent accuracy which couples would stay together. (The figure was 88 percent in a separate study in which Gottman followed newlyweds.) Happy couples spoke with laughter and nostalgia, even when

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    • 5 Things You Didn't Know About Tea

      Tea KettleYear-round, we drink tea-the beverage that results from steeping leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant in water. The plant, native to Asia, has been consumed in China for at least 3,000 years. Of course, tea has since spread to the west, and in the U.S. dozens of jars of tea leaves line the shelves of specialty shops. Still, a mystique clings to tea. We drink it for health, taste, warming in the winter, and cooling in the summer. Here are five things you may not have known about the ancient beverage:

      1. All tea comes from the same plant.
      White, green, and black teas all come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, an evergreen. Leaves are picked every one to two weeks, depending on the kind of tea desired. Whether the tea is white, green, or black depends on how the leaves are processed and oxidized. Herbal teas, such as mint or chamomile, are a separate category (tisanes). So are red teas, made from a shrubby plant native to South Africa.

      Related: 5 Drinks to Warm You Up

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    • Should You Go Gluten-Free?

      BreadThat's the question on many people's minds considering everyone from The New York Times reporters to Miley Cyrus are pondering the merits of a GF diet. But the answer, it turns out, isn't so simple.

      For some people, about 1% of the population with celiac disease, eating foods with gluten causes severe damage to the lining of their intestines, which can lead to a host of uncomfortable symptoms as well as an increased risk of cancer. For them, avoiding gluten is crucial and no amount is safe. Families living with someone who has celiac disease have to take special precautions to avoid cross-contamination, say by devoting a toaster to gluten free foods and by taking care not to use the same serving utensils for dishing out foods that contain gluten along with foods that don't.

      Far more people suffer from gluten sensitivity, a condition with complaints that range from headaches to fatigue to diarrhea. Doctors aren't sure why, but these people also feel better after removing

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    • At Last: The Secret to a Good Night's Sleep

      Sleep BetterScientists like their zzz's just as much as you do - and have put their (hopefully well-rested) brains to studying what really helps you get a good night's sleep.

      1. Pump it Up

      Regular aerobic exercise - bicycling, walking at a moderate pace, swimming laps - for 30 to 40 minutes, four times a week, improves sleep quality. You can break it up into two 20-minute sessions if that fits better into your life. But don't schedule it in the evening; while exercise helps regulate your sleep/wake cycle, the stimulation that comes from a workout in the three hours before bedtime may cancel the benefit.

      2. Combine Carbs and Proteins

      Carbohydrates help your brain use tryptophan, an amino acid that causes sleepiness. And proteins help your body build tryptophan. Get the duo in a light bedtime snack of peanut butter on toast or low-fat cheese and crackers.

      3. Choose Cherry
      The fruit is rich in melatonin, which helps the body regulate its sleep/wake cycle. When study participants drank eight

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