Breakfast Boosters: 14 Foods to Fight Off a Cold

Kiwi

Kiwis contain between 90 and 110 milligrams of vitamin C — more than an average orange. They are a good source of potassium, an important mineral for strong muscles and nerves, plus immune-boosting vitamin E. They are also packed with flavonoids and carotenoids — antioxidants that promote respiratory health, heart health and optimum well-being, says Suki Hertz, M.S., R.D., nutrition professor at the Culinary Institute of America. Cut kiwis in half and scoop out the flesh for a fruit salad or mash up and stir into plain yogurt.

Papaya

Papayas are praised for their anti-inflammatory properties. They're also an excellent source of vitamin C—one medium papaya supplies 313 percent of your daily requirement, explains Hertz. Additionally, they are a great source of beta-carotene, a phytonutrient that gets converted to vitamin A in your body and keeps eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist. Have a few slices for breakfast in the morning or blend some with orange juice for a tropical smoothie.

Ginger

If you feel a cold coming on ward it off with ginger, which can alleviate cold symptoms and clear nasal passages. It also promotes digestive health, reduces gas pains and relaxes the intestinal tract, explains Hertz. If you find yourself battling a stomach bug or winter cold, try steeping slices of fresh ginger in hot water for a soothing and healthy morning drink.

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are packed with vitamins, amino acids and minerals, including zinc. Zinc helps the immune system by acting as an antioxidant and minimizing damage to cell membranes from free radicals, explains Hertz. Pumpkin seeds are delicious alone or sprinkled in yogurt, oatmeal or cereal. For a sweet and spicy breakfast on the go, try this energy mix.

Wheat Germ

Full of essential vitamins and fats, wheat germ, the nutrient source of the wheat grain, can help give your immune system a boost. It's also high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps fight inflammation, says Hertz. Sprinkle wheat germ in yogurt, oatmeal or cold cereal.

Beets

Give your morning glass of orange juice a boost by blending it with cooked beets — just remember to strain it before serving. Packed with antioxidants and magnesium, a mineral that assists with nerve and muscle function, beets are also especially rich in folate. This B vitamin helps prevent serious birth defects and is important for women of childbearing age and for heart health, explains Hertz.

Flax Seeds

Flax seeds are chock-full of important nutrients and minerals, including vitamin E, an antioxidant that keeps cells healthy, and alpha-linolenic acid, a vegetarian source of omega-3 fatty acids. To obtain these healthy fats, flax seeds must be ground first, explains Hertz. A coffee grinder works perfectly for this. 

Famous for their nutty flavor, flax seeds can be sprinkled on yogurt, oatmeal or cold cereal. Flax oil is another option and a good way to add important nutrients to smoothies. Both flax seeds and flax oil are highly perishable and should be kept in the refrigerator for up to three months. 

Lemons

Besides being packed with vitamin C, lemons promote healthy bacteria, rather than the type that can cause viruses and colds. Hertz suggests using lemon in place of sugar and salt, both of which can weaken the immune system. In the morning, try squeezing some on fresh fruit instead of sprinkling with sugar. 

Blueberries

It's no wonder blueberries are called a superfood — they have more antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable. They are also one of the highest-ranking foods in anthocyanidins (cancer-fighting antioxidants) and are excellent sources of vitamin C, manganese and fiber, says Hertz. Start your morning with this Greek yogurt parfait, a beautiful dish that delivers a healthy mix of berries. 

Eggs

Egg yolks are a good source of selenium, a powerful mineral that supports a healthy immune system. Research on eggs is proving they are not the heart-disease villains they were once thought to be, explains Hertz. The protein in the whites is of the highest value, and the yolks, although high in dietary cholesterol, are relatively low in saturated fat. 

Tofu

People who don't eat enough protein tend to load up on carbs, which can increase blood sugar levels and weaken the immune system. Tofu is a complete protein and a good source of calcium and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which can strengthen the immune system, says Hertz. For a high-protein drink that's good on the go, try this quick smoothie.

Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is commonly referred to as a grain, but it's actually a seed that can be cooked. A super food, quinoa is one of the few "complete proteins" of the plant world, meaning it supplies all of the essential amino acids that are found in meat, poultry or fish, such as lysine, which helps with tissue repair, says Hertz. In the morning, swap white or whole-wheat bread with a multigrain loaf that's loaded with quinoa, bulgur and millet. 

Grapefruit and Oranges

Everyone knows that citrus is chock-full of vitamin C, and it's also packed with powerful antioxidants and is low in calories, says Hertz. For a healthy breakfast that's sure to strengthen your immune system, try a fruit salad that combines three types. 

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese contains selenium, a powerful antioxidant that can strengthen the immune system, says Hertz. To give your immune system a boost, try this breakfast parfait which combines cottage cheese with vitamin C-rich papaya and wheat germ. 

Natural Remedies Doctors Use to Stay in Tiptop Shape

 Experts share the simple little secrets that help them stay young and healthy, prevent illnesses and bounce back fast if they do get sick

By Brenda Kearns - June 14, 2013     

Reduce wrinkles with seafood According to researchers at Michigan State University, the key to keeping your skin healthy is to eat six ounces of fish three times weekly. It’ll actually cut wrinkling and sagging by 30 percent. “Fish is packed with protein, minerals and omega-3 fats -- nutrients that nourish the collagen and muscles that keep skin smooth,” says dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, M.D. “My favorite is salmon, because it’s also rich in astaxanthin -- an antioxidant that reduces fine lines and wrinkling.”
Fight fatigue with green tea “I keep a pot of green tea on my desk and sip it all day long,” says Vincent Giampapa, M.D., a plastic surgeon in New Jersey. “It keeps me energized and focused, yet it doesn’t give me jitters the way a pot of coffee would!” Green tea has compounds that help your brain use blood sugar for fuel and stimulate the production of energizing hormones called endorphins, say researchers at the University of California, Davis.
Heal injuries with music
A review of 14 studies found that patients who listened to one hour of soothing music daily recovered from injuries more quickly. They also required 25 percent fewer painkillers. The reason: Music lowers your production of damaging stress hormones, plus it relaxes arteries, improving the flow of nutrient-rich blood to injured tissues. “Music touches, and heals, almost every cell in the body,” says Mitchell L. Gaynor, M.D., director of Gaynor Integrative Oncology in New York. “It’s my first pick when I’m feeling under the weather.”
Kill viruses with honeyUnpasteurized honey is packed with natural antibiotics and healing enzymes, and nibbling it when you’re ill can cut three days off your sickness, say University of Illinois researchers. It also kills the bugs that cause sinus infections and other cold complications,” says Mark Moyad, M.D., director of preventive medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. “I take two teaspoons daily when I’m sick, and it soothes my sore throat, reduces coughing and speeds my recovery -- something over-the-counter cold meds never did.”
Snap out of it with dark chocolate
This mouth-watering snack is rich in flavonoids -- compounds that relax and open the arteries that send oxygen-rich blood to the brain, increasing memory, concentration and focus for two hours straight. The catch? “At least 80 percent of today’s chocolate is loaded with sugar and has few healing flavonoids,” says Joseph C. Maroon, M.D., a Pittsburgh neurosurgeon. “So, I stock up on bars that are 70 percent dark chocolate, and enjoy one or two ounces daily.”
Boost moods with vitamin D Vitamin D shortfalls plague 80 percent of women, since your skin can’t produce this nutrient without regular blasts of strong, direct light, say Boston University doctors. And D shortfalls dampen your brain’s ability to produce mood-boosting serotonin, leading to the sadness and even depression. The good news: Taking 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily can correct a shortfall in as little as two months. “Within one week of starting vitamin D, I felt upbeat, energetic and 10 years younger -- I’m still amazed at how much better I feel!” says Robin Miller, M.D., director of Triune Integrative Medicine in Medford, Oregon.
Erase anxiety with belly breathing Even doctors feel overwhelmed when life throws them too many curves. “I use belly breathing to quell stress and anxiety -- it’s phenomenal,” says Anne Kulze, M.D., spokesperson for the Prevent Cancer Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia.
To do: Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for a count of seven, allowing your belly to relax and expand as you do. Hold for a count of four, then slowly exhale through your mouth for another count of seven. Repeat until you feel zen. According to Canadian researchers, belly breathing tamps down stress hormone production, cutting anxiety by 63 percent in one minute.
Improve memory with turmeric
Starting to feel a bit forgetful? Adding turmeric to your diet could sharpen your memory 30 percent or more, suggests a study in the Journal of Neurochemistry. “Turmeric’s active ingredient -- curcumin -- is one of the most powerful brain-nourishing antioxidants ever discovered,” says Dr. Kulze. “I add 1/4 teaspoon to my meals four times weekly -- it’s delicious in tuna, rice and chicken dishes.”
Strengthen immunity with veggies ”I’m often in contact with sick people, so I eat lots of colorful veggies to prevent illness,” says Dr. Kulze. “Carrots, peppers, sweet potatoes, kale...colorful vegetables are the true superstars for boosting immunity.” The more colorful the better -- because it’s what’s in the plant’s pigment that keep the lining of your respiratory tract healthy so viruses can't get a toehold and increase your production of disease-fighting immune cells. Eating two cups daily will cut your risk of illness in half, say UCLA researchers.
Strengthen your heart with walnuts Enjoy 1/3 cup walnuts daily and you’ll cut your risk of a heart attack in half and add almost three healthy years to your life, say UCLA researchers. Turns out these crunchy treats are one of the richest natural sources of artery-healing monounsaturated fats. “I’ve been snacking on them for years,” says pediatrician Jim Sears, M.D., co-author of The Baby Book. “People think they won’t like the flavor, but whenever I set out a bowl, they quickly disappear!”
Lose weight with a hula hoop
“When I first tried hula hooping I felt incredibly clumsy -- but within eight weeks, the roll around my middle and the fat pads on my hips had completely disappeared!” says Christiane Northrup, M.D., author of The Wisdom of Menopause. “Now I hula hoop while watching TV to keep my weight steady during the winter -- the time of year when I find it easy to overeat and tough to exercise.” To do: Aim for 10 minutes, twice daily.
Prevent blood sugar fluxes with cinnamon According to USDA researchers, adding 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to your daily diet could improve your blood sugar control by 29 percent or more -- it slows carb absorption in your small intestines. “For years, I struggled with wild blood sugar swings -- and the cravings were so bad I had to keep fudge icing in the cupboard for emergencies,” says urogynecologist Larrian Gillespie, M.D., author of The Menopause Diet. “But within 72 hours of adding cinnamon to my diet, my cravings started to fade — and by day 10, my hunger pangs, eating jags and bloating were a thing of the past!”
Nix aches and pains with naps At least 67 percent of women will struggle with headaches, backaches, sore joints or other pain problems this year alone. Yet Cornell studies suggest getting a little more sleep could cut your discomfort in half within one month. “Sleep boosts your production of growth hormones, which reduce inflammation and speed healing of damaged tissues,” explains Jacob Teitelbaum M.D., medical director of Texas’ Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers. “I aim for eight hours of sleep nightly to prevent pain, and if I’m shortchanged during the week, I catch up by napping on the weekend.”
Shut down cravings with fruit appetizers “When my kids and I have a yen for treats, we don’t deny ourselves -- but we always start by eating a piece of fruit,” says Dr. Sears. “Funny things is, that fruit appetizer almost always shuts down the cravings!” The health payoff: Fruit’s healing antioxidants not only protect against heart disease and cancer, they also slow brain aging, plus keep your skin looking up to six years younger, say Cornell researchers.

The boring 'secret' to being rich

Jonathan Kwok

The Sunday Times

Tuesday, Jan 07, 2014

"What is the secret to getting rich?"

That is a question many young adults ask themselves - and I too was grappling with it about a year ago as I pondered my financial future.

There had to be a difference between the haves and have-nots in society, I thought, as I pored over books, essays and websites to look for the Holy Grail of personal finance.

I also started asking well-to-do newsmakers, colleagues and friends if they knew the secret to riches.

One of the benefits of being a financial journalist is that you get to speak to some of the richer people in society. And a few of them will open up more when their minders are not around.

"The first way is to be born to rich parents," said one wildly successful businessman, when I posed him the question. "The second way is to marry someone rich."

That is certainly true, especially in countries such as Singapore, which has very low taxes on the rich and zero estate duty. But unfortunately it does not apply to the vast majority of us.

"The third way is through starting your own business, the fourth way is through climbing the corporate ladder and the fifth way is through investments," the businessman continued.

"There are one or two more ways, but I'm still trying to find out what they are. Maybe you can tell me when you find out."

That was a decent start, but it didn't provide the clarity I needed to change my life.

Another answer hit closer to home, though in an unexpected way.

"There is no secret, lah," said this respondent, whom I judge to be very comfortable financially.

"First you need a job that pays you decently - better if it pays you more. Then you need to spend less than your salary," he said.

"Then you invest your savings. It's your investments that will make you rich."

That caught me off-guard as I was expecting something really secretive and majestic that would change my life forever. Instead, this guy was offering me a path... that I was already on.

But when I mused further over it, it seemed that this "boring" method was a workable one for many average folk.

It certainly has helped thousands of baby boomers accumulate comfortable amounts of wealth. Many of them are now looking ahead to a comfortable retirement.

They may never make it to the Forbes rich list or be able to buy companies in billion-dollar deals. But these people do not have to worry much about their finances - this makes them rich enough, in my book.

I get the point that the older generation benefited from Singapore's rapid economic growth, helping them in their wealth accumulation.

My peers will find it harder doing things the old-fashioned way as growth inevitably slows down. Bonuses will get lower, investments will not rise as rapidly.

But I see numerous examples - at my workplace and elsewhere - of those who have become rich through working and investing. This gives me hope that we can still do this, with some adjustments.

Maybe we will need to make more savvy and disciplined investments, or maybe we need to retire later.

Either way it will be a long slog over many decades to finally get rich, the same way it was for our seniors who worked tirelessly.

Perhaps that is the way it is meant to be. Perhaps there is no short cut to getting rich.

Some people will protest at this notion.

I have heard people make claims about their quick-fire methods to let them retire in a posh villa in the Maldives within five or 10 years.

These may involve trading, starting an online business, multi-level marketing or selling insurance.

The problem is, I have not really seen many examples of people who have made it big using these methods, so I remain sceptical.

I have now become comfortable with the tried-and-tested route of earn-save-invest, which will take years and years of hard work.

I will add to this the importance of some insurance - not too much - so our savings do not get wiped out by a catastrophe such as a major illness.

It was this driving force that led me to adopt the habit last year of recording every dollar I spend, and trying to keep my budget to below $35 a day. The idea is to save more by spending less.

"A penny saved is a penny earned," American founding father Benjamin Franklin once declared, and this still holds true about 300 years after those words were uttered.

Along the way I designed a road map for a fresh graduate to accumulate $100,000 in savings and investments by the time he hits 30.

It mainly involved carefully watching your expenditure and ensuring you get an average graduate's salary and wage rise.

People sometimes ask me if I am on track to hitting this target myself. I tell them I do not know as I do not actively keep track of my net worth - all I do is just try to spend as little as possible and invest where appropriate.

Besides, your net worth is dependent on your stock portfolio which is in turn subject to the whims of the share market.

It does not really matter what your current net worth is, or if your target is $50,000, $75,000 or $150,000. The more important thing is to devise methods to earn more, spend less and invest smart.

I use the spending-tracker method, while some of my friends and colleagues keep complex and up-to-date spreadsheets of their finances.

Once you get your habits in place and your wealth starts building, the growth will become exponential as money earns more money via investments.

In this new year, I hope that you sort out the basics and come up with methods and plans to build your finances from the foundations.

Earn-save-insure-invest. It is not a big secret, but many of our seniors have shown that it is a workable method to get rich.

How to extract gold from your old gadgets

Most electronic devices contain at least a small amount of pure gold that can be extracted with the right know-how. So before you throw away your old laptop, phone or camera, you might want to consider remove the gold plated elements that are found inside. Josehf Lloyd Murchison, a member of DIY site Instructables, has generously provided the world with a step-by-step guide on how to do this at home.

Things you will need: Scrap electronics / rubber gloves / rubber apron / goggles / hydrogen peroxide 3% / muriatic acid 31% / methyl hydrate 99.9% / funnel filter / 2 large glass containers / glass or plastic stirring stick / weigh scale / blow torch / borax / clay bowl (or any one that has a melting point of 500˚C - above that of gold) / measuring cup

Step 1a) Extracting gold from scraps: Collect any gold-containing metal scraps to which you have access, including jewellery, computer processors, old telephone wiring and gold tooth crowns. Keep in mind that outdated electronics are likelier to produce parts with a high enough level of gold to make the procedure worthwhile.

Step 1b) Extracting gold from scraps: Sort the gold - circuits that need cleaning, gold-plated parts, gold-plated pins, gold fingers and solid gold, large and small. Use a magnet to separate all gold-plated steel, which needs a different process from the demonstration here.

Step 2a) Stripping the gold fingers and clean circuits: Put the gold fingers and clean circuit boards into a coffee pot. In another container, mix 2 parts muriatic acid and 1 part hydrogen peroxide and add the mixture into the coffee pot until it just covers the scraps.

Step 2b) Stripping the gold fingers and clean circuits: Wait a week and give the mixture in the coffee pot a daily stir. While waiting, you can move on to processing your solid low grade gold parts.

Step 3) Your scale: Murchison says that his RCBS scale is accurate to 1/10th of a grain when set up right. Remember to zero your scale for the most accurate measurements.

Step 4a) Cupellation: Cupellation is a process where ores or alloyed metals are treated under high temperatures and controlled operations to separate noble metals, like gold and silver, from base metals like led, copper, zinc, and others present in the ore or alloyed metal. 'The process cannot separate silver from gold, but this is good enough for me,' says Murchison.

Step 4b) Cupellation: Weigh the solid pieces of low grade gold, burn the crap out of it until you get no more slag and it becomes a nice bright yellow bead, and then you weigh it after it cools.

Step 5a) Gold flakes and dust: A week has passed and it is time to collect your gold flakes and dust from your cleaned gold fingers and circuits. After a week the acid darkens and with a stir the flakes of gold can be seen floating around in the pot.

Step 5b) Gold flakes and dust: Pour the acid into a coffee filter. The acid passes through the filter, leaving the gold behind. Do not get rid of the acid just yet.

Step 5c) Gold flakes and dust: Dump the remaining gold fingers and circuits into a deep plastic tray and add water, sort out the cleaned gold parts, put the cleaned parts in the water and save the un-cleaned parts for re-dipping.

Step 5d) Gold flakes and dust: After you have sorted the circuit board parts, pour the water off through the coffee filter and flush with methyl hydrate to clean. Since the methyl hydrate is 99.9% methyl alcohol, it cleans and dries the gold flakes better and faster than water. Water will cling to the gold flakes and give you a false weight.

Step 6a) Using borax with your salvaged gold: The Borax Method is a technique of artisanal gold mining, with its basis in the principle that borax reduces the melting point of all minerals, including precious metals like gold. The melting point of gold is 1,063˚C, which is a higher temperature than can be obtained by cheap torches and burners.

Step 6b) Using borax with your salvaged gold: By adding borax to the heavy mineral concentrate, the melting point temperature decreases, allowing people to melt gold out of their concentrate and salvage. By using borax, no mercury flour is produced, and gold recovery increases.

Step 7a) Melting your gold flakes: Take your cleaned gold flakes and weigh them - this tells you how much weight you will lose in the melting. Heat your clay bowl and don't worry if the bowl cracks or splits.

Step 7b) Melting your gold flakes: Add borax to the hot bowl. When the borax melts, add the gold flakes and more borax then heat until you get a nice bead of gold.

Step 7c) Melting your gold flakes: Let the bead of gold cool and weigh to see how much of it was lost in the melting.

Step 8) Gold: There you have it - gold from electronics... Somewhere between 600 and 1600 bucks for 3 months' work. I think I will retire.

This guide first appeared on Instructables (http://www.instructables.com/id/Gold-recovery) and was reproduced with permission from J

10 ways to stop yourself from spending money

Stop spending? You can do it

Cheryl Leong

Simply Her

Saturday, Dec 28, 2013

We've all succumbed to the temptation to spend. But when you do it repeatedly, it can become a problem. "Excessive or impulsive spending is like a bad habit," says BJ Tan, senior debt consultant from Debt Reform, a local debt management company.
"You need to break the cycle slowly to successfully control it," he says.
Here are some strategies to help you.

1) Have a No-spending Day

Schedule a day or two each week when you spend on nothing but daily necessities, such as meals and transport, or items that you've already budgeted for.

2) Find your hourly rate

Take your monthly salary and divide it by the number of hours you work in a month - including overtime - to get your hourly rate, BJ says: "Knowing you'll need to work a certain number of hours to fund a purchase may make you think twice about buying it."

3) Scheduling Post-shopping Appointments

Settling a time limit on your shopping helps you to control your spending. "If you know that you're an impulsive shopper , give yourself as little leeway as possible," BJ advices.

4) Don't shop with just anyone

Whom you shop with influences your shopping habits, say BJ. "Shop with someone who's a rational spender-who is likely to help you to watch your money and make sure you don't part with it too readily." He adds that your shopping partner should not encourage you to buy everything you try on, unless it's within your budget.

5) Ask: "Do you really need it?"

"We can always find reason for 'needing' something. But before you hand over your money, stop and ask : 'if you need it badly, how have I gone for so long without it?' It's a simple question to put your spending into perspective, explains BJ

6) Shop like a man

Men are efficient shoppers- they take only what they need and spend less time in shops, reducing their chances of going home with an impulse buy

7) Beware The Checkout counter

Those sweets and treats beside the counters? They can add up, warns BJ. Before long, you could find yourself forking out an additional $5 to $10 for these goodies.

8) Control your mummy guilt

You know the drill - you're feeling guilty about not spending enough time with your kids, so next time you're out, you 'make-out' for it by buying them clothes, toys and treats.

9) Remember: Group-buying Deals Add Up

Group-buying websites send out daily updates on current and upcoming deals, tempting you to buy things you don't need, just because of the fabulous offers, says BJ. He adds : "It's like having a sale all the time - it helps you save money but it also make you want to buy something you don't need, just to take advantage of the savings."

10) Be patient

You really, really want that new tech gadget? Chances are, you can buy it for less if you hold out a little longer- and you can save towards its cost in the meantime, BJ shares his own experience: "My first television set many years ago was a 42 - inch plasma that was retailing at almost $15,000. I had only set a aside a budget of $1,000, so I waited almost two years until the price fell within that region before I finally bought it."

6 Surprisingly Salty Food Groups to Avoid

It's Not Just in the Shaker

If you want to do your heart a big favor, cut the salt.  A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that if every American had about a half-teaspoon less daily, it could reduce the annual number of new cases of coronary heart disease by 60,000; stroke by 32,000 and heart attacks by 54,000. A pinch less salt could also add up to some big healthcare savings: up to $24 billion. (Most of us actually consume more than the recommended daily limit of 2,300 mg., or about a teaspoon). But it's not as easy as skipping the salt shaker--about 75 percent of the sodium we consume comes from processed foods, say researchers. A new Institute of Medicine report recommends the government setnew standards for acceptable levels, and the FDA said it does plan to work with manufacturers to cut salt in food products over the next decade. What to do in the meantime? “Generally, the farther away you get from boxed or other prepared foods, the less salt you will consume, and the healthier you will be,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Here are some common culprits to avoid.

Soups and Sauces

While canned soups and mixes, vegetables and pasta sauces sound healthy, the salt content of these goodies can be staggering. One cup of miso soup can contain more than 2,500 mg of sodium. That’s more than the entire recommended daily sodium intake.

Even one-half cup of canned carrots contains 300 mg. Pasta sauces are a sea of hidden salts, too. Just one-half cup of creamy Alfredo sauce can contain 1,050 mg of sodium. The smart choice: Look for low-salt versions of these types of prepared foods. Better yet: Make your own soup and sauces. That way you’ll know exactly how much salt you imbibe.

Sandwich Meats and Sides

Who doesn’t like a good deli sandwich and side salad for lunch? But these foods, too, can contain a sneaky serving of salt. Two slices of ham equals 739 mg of sodium. Ask for one cup of mac-n-cheese too and you’ve added another 1,061 mg to your luncheon salt lick. Even seafood sandwich fillers like a cup of tuna salad can contain up to 824 mg of salt.

If you indulge in these items during lunch, make sure you take it easy at dinner. Try three ounces of fresh orange roughy, which contains only 59 mg of salt, and one cup of unsalted fresh green beans (just 1 mg of salt).

Condiment Culprits

Salt isn’t the only flavoring to avoid. Condiments can add to your intake, too. One tablespoon of ketchup contains 167 mg of salt, and just one measly tablespoon of commercial Italian salad dressing contains 243 mg.

While these numbers may seem low, remember, few people use only one tablespoon of catsup on a burger, let alone one tablespoon of dressing on a salad. When you’re watching your sodium intake, every drop of dressing makes a difference.

Beware of Breakfast Treats

No one can argue with the need to start your day with a good breakfast. But even some of the most beloved breakfast treats contain a surprising amount of salt.

Popular cold and hot breakfast cereal can contain anywhere from 150 to nearly 300 mg of salt per serving. Three scrambled eggs add up to 513 mg. And even one pancake, made from a dry mix, contains 239 mg of sodium. (And, really, who can eat just one?) Try limiting yourself to one serving of a low-sodium cereal with low-fat milk. If you want something sweet, add some fresh berries.

Try Fresh, Not Fast or Frozen

Consider this: A frozen turkey and gravy dinner packs nearly 800 mg of salt. A six-inch submarine sandwich, made with cold cuts, has 1,651 mg of salt. A fast-food double cheeseburger, with condiments: 1,051 mg of salt.

The obvious answer is to avoid these types of foods. Or opt for “low-sodium” alternatives, which can contain less than 140 mg of sodium per serving. If you are going out to eat, remember that restaurant meals contain salt, too. The good news: most restaurants publish their menus and nutrition data online. And you can ask the chef to go sans salt.

Pass on the Pretzels

It’s no surprise that many of our favorite snacks are salty. Still, the numbers can seem shocking. Just one ounce of BBQ potato chips (or about 10 chips) contains 213 mg of sodium. Ten plain salted pretzels contain 814 mg of salt.

Fortunately, not all snacks are so salty. One good alternative: Try a cup of air-popped popcorn (without butter, of course). It contains a measly 1 mg of sodium. With numbers that low, you can even put a sprinkling of salt on top without feeling guilty. Want more data on the sodium content of your favorite foods?

Weird and wonderful travel gadgets

Phillip Tang 18 November 2013

Ranging from silly stocking fillers to useful travel items, these gadgets tackle problems that every traveller will recognise. Some of them just make us smile at their novelty, even if we won’t be using them. Oddly, no matter how ridiculous the items, they may still give you itchy feet for your next big trip.

Rufus Roo: a massive vest for carry-on luggage

Here’s a way to beat those budget airlines with their restrictive or non-existent hand-luggage restrictions. The Rufus Roo (www.rufusroo.com) is basically a long vest with extremely deep pockets that can fit a laptop and other heavy items. It looks like the inner lining of a very large overcoat and costs £35 (US$59) – but with fees of up to £100 for checking in excess luggage at the airport, it may well be worth it for an excess emergency. Though it sounds ridiculous, if it becomes really popular, the airlines will catch on. In the meantime, load up those pockets with all three volumes of The Lord of the Rings, a spare jumper and maybe a bag of apples for in-flight snacking. The vest also comes in the smaller Rufus Roo 4 Kids so you can enlist the help of your children too.

Ostrich Pillow: the pillow helmet with hand holes

If you have ever waited hours in an airport between flights, or taken an overnight train, you might not think the Ostrich Pillow (www.ostrichpillow.com) as silly as it looks. It's a large cushy helmet made of plush sweatshirt material in the shape of a massive bulb of garlic, with two holes to insert your hands. Inside your little world, no light enters and sound is muffled, letting you sleep sitting on an airport bench or face down on the plane's tray table. One noise we're not sure it will block out is the laughter of passersby, because it does look like comedic performance art. Another drawback is that it is a luggage-space hog and leaves you quite vulnerable while you’re in dreamland. There is a ‘light’ version – a thick, oversized eye mask – but where’s the fun in that?

 

Creative CommonsAttributionShare AlikeClassic travel weary photo Peter Burgess

Shewee and Peebol: emergency toilets

The festival-famous device that assists women to pee standing up makes for a handy backup when your bus stops at a ‘toilet’ (ditch in the ground) you do not want to squat over. That's the Shewee (www.shewee.com), a glorified (specially shaped) plastic funnel. Its cousin, the Peebol, is a fancy, stiff plastic bag filled with absorbent granules that you pee into, converting the granules to a biodegradable gel. The Peebol is more of an emergency device for use on a bus in a developing country with no toilet and no stops. Or for those who'd rather their child go in a bag than the local toilet.

Scrubba Wash Bag: portable washing machine

Sometimes on your travels you just want to quickly wash a few pairs of underwear and some t-shirts without going to the laundromat. The Scrubba Wash Bag (thescrubba.com) makes hand washing easier, with its built-in plastic washboard bumps. You put in some clothes with water and shampoo, agitate the bag and, in a few minutes, you have clean clothes without getting your hands wet. It can fit a few pairs of underwear and socks and some t-shirts in one wash, and folds to the size of a soft-drink can for easy transport.

Wi-fi detector t-shirt

Exactly what it sounds like: this t-shirt (thinkgeek.com/product/991e) has a battery-powered light that glows when wi-fi is detected. The glowing animated bars change depending on signal strength. It's perfect for the wonderfully nerdy traveller.

USB travel iron

Who irons when they’re on holiday, anyway? If it’s just the odd wrinkle here and there that need smoothing, this USB-powered gadget the size of a pack of cards will smarten you up. It works more like a hair straightening iron than a regular clothes iron.

Re-Timer: jetlag goggles

Jetlag is the enemy of frequent flyers, who can find themselves tired, lacking concentration and just plain grumpy. Scientist-inventors at Flinders University in Australia claim that their invention, the Re-Timer (re-timer.com), can help these folks bounce back from their long-haul flight more quickly. The Re-Timer looks like a pair of ski goggles without the glass and emits a gentle green light into the eyes to rejig the wearer's natural body clock. Green light is claimed to be the most effective in changing the behaviour of a gland in the brain that triggers hormones for our circadian rhythms and sleep cycles. Travellers put on the device when they want to tell their body it's day, even though it may be dark in their current timezone. The USB-powered device isn’t cheap at AUD$299 (£170 or US$275), but may be worth it for frequent travellers.

Hand- and solar-powered phone chargers

You’re camping or on the side of the road with no access to power points, and your phone goes flat. You just need to make one phone call. Carrying a small backup battery is great for these occasions, but you need to remember to recharge it. Step in the hand-powered charger. It works like a fishing reel crank or rotary egg beater, giving you a few minutes of charge per few minutes' cranking, in a smartphone-sized package. You may end up with cramped hands but at least you can make that emergency call.

If you live in a country with dependable sunshine (eg not the UK) you can spare the extra effort and use a solar charger. A few minutes will give you a minimal charge, enough for some texts, but it will take eight hours to fully charge an iPhone.

 

Creative CommonsAttributionMescal Bajada camp Rob Malouf

inReach SE: satellite messaging without a phone signal

This two-way satellite communication device has messaging capabilities outside of normal mobile-phone signal range. You can also pinpoint where you are with GPS and view maps. Older versions could only send text messages one way, but you can now send and receive SOS messages, even when there is no cellular phone signal. This is because it uses satellite networks and looks like the thick mobile phones with large antennas we remember from the '90s. This is great for hikers, campers and travellers to remote areas of the world, where a regular mobile phone won’t function for calls and texts. The inReach SE could actually be a lifesaving piece of kit, not just a novelty gadget – though Facebook and Twitter posting is available too.

Waterless toothbrush

You may have seen those gumball vending machines selling waterless toothbrushes at airports. There are a variety of these devices now, including big names such as the Colgate Wisp. They all work as a miniature brush with a small amount of toothpastelike material that you chew, brush or pick with. Being single-use only, they aren’t sustainable and only recommended if you really can’t wait to brush properly. Toothettes are a similar product that use a sponge head on a lollipop stick to ‘brush’ without water.

Air-conditioned jacket

Yes, you can buy a jacket that has two fans built into it. This is actually rather useful, or useless, depending on how bothered you are by heat. The Japanese (of course) bomber-jacket invention puffs up with air to cool you down for up to five hours, running on four AA batteries or USB recharging. Naturally it comes in different sizes and styles. Expect strange looks in public.

Phillip Tang loves etymology, foreign supermarkets and animated GIFs. Follow his sparkling rants and photos on travel, technology and how we humans live.