A magic potion? No.  But doctors are now saying that by making a few simple tweaks to your everyday lifestyle, you’ll be able to add 8-10 years onto your life.   So call off the search for a fountain of youth, and keep reading. 

Laugh.  Recent research has revealed that laughter reduces stress, burns off calories and improves digestion.  When we laugh we secrete hormones that stimulate the heart and act as natural painkillers. It also relaxes blood vessels, lowering the risk of heart attack.  Further studies showed that that laughter is the best relaxant there is, as even one minute of laughter can give the body up to 45 minutes of therapeutic relaxation. Similar to the effects of exercise, the “high” produced while laughing goes on long after the laughter is over. 

Exercise.  It may seem like you simply just don’t have time, but it’s crucial to schedule exercise into your day even if it’s just for 15 minutes.  Incorporate exercise into your everyday activities, like taking the stairs, parking farther away or walk/ride a bike instead of driving.  If you have trouble finding the motivation to exercise, try taking an energy supplement to give you an extra umph. 

Eat Smart.  Buy healthy food and keep your kitchen stocked with fruits, veggies and other healthy snacks.  Make sure to plan out your meals beforehand so you don’t find yourself buying a last minute pizza.  Take the time to eat: chew slowly and enjoy the flavors. 

Eat Nuts.  Research has revealed that those who ate nuts five times a week had about half the risk of heart disease and lived two years longer than those who didn’t. Keep nuts in your cupboards, purse, or office drawer for a mid-afternoon snack. 

Friends.  Someone once said, “Pick your friends wisely, for you tend to become like them.” Choose friends who share your same beliefs, lifestyle, and goals.  Nurture your friendships and spend time with them.

Live with intention.  Make sure you set goals, pinpoint your drive, work towards achieving them.  Take the time to reconnect with your values and reassess your passions and strengths. Then look for activities or classes to join where you can do more of those things that make you happiest in life.

Buying wholesale clothing is an obvious appeal to consumers – you can get twice as much for the same price!  But while many outlets and retailers may advertise “wholesale” prices, you aren’t exactly paying wholesale.

A good example is factory outlet malls, which can give consumers the impression that they are purchasing clothing at wholesale prices; however, this is not the case.  These outlets still have overhead to pay for (such as rental space and employees) which is added to the cost of the merchandise.  Prices will still be better at an outlet than a regular retail store.

In addition, wholesale clubs are not quite what they proclaim to be.  They have the same costs as a retail store including staff, location costs, insurance, etc.  Buying in bulk will certainly save you money but you are not really purchasing wholesale merchandise when you shop at a wholesale club.

In order to purchase wholesale clothing, you must buy from a legitimate wholesaler and buy in bulk.  Furthermore, you may be required to have a vendors license. 

Senior portraits are often the finale of an important part chapter in our lives and who doesn’t want everyone to remember them for their stellar portraits? Whether you’ll be taking portraits or it’s your very own (not so) little one, here are a few tips to make sure you look your best, courtesy of a renowned Salt Lake senior portraits photographer

· Get lots of sleep the night before – tired eyes usually show traces of redness which can show up in your pictures.

· Avoid getting a new haircut or style right before pictures. Chances are, you won’t like the results! Also, keep in mind that using hair color or dye will change how your hair looks in the photos.

· Don’t wear bold patterns, polka dots, horizontal stripes, sleeveless shirts, and anything with logos.

· The clothing that looks best in portraits are solid colors, simple styles, and long sleeves.

· Guys should make sure they have a fresh shave and girls should avoid trying out new makeup.

· Avoid too much jewelry – you want the focus to be on you and your features, not overbearing jewelry.

The kids will soon be going back to school–if they haven’t already. And this year it is probably more stressful to send the kids back than previous years because of the horrible economy. The dreaded purchasing of new school clothes can send the parentals panicking. But there are ways to get the clothes your kids need and want without breaking the bank. There are the usual huge department store sales that are great to hit, but there are alternatives. Try looking online for wholesale companies. You can find great quality clothing for your children (and yourself, of course) for a reasonable price–everything from pants to shoes to accessories. Whew! What a sigh of relief.