Who couldn’t use a few shortcuts in life? Here are some clever ideas to make your life a little easier.

Tip: Hull strawberries easily using a straw.

Tip: Store bed linen sets inside one of their own pillowcases – no more hunting through piles for a match!

Tip: Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting crosses into a box lid.

Tip: Use magnetic strips to store bobby pins (and tweezers and clippers) behind a vanity door.

Tip: Bake cupcakes in ice-cream cones – so much more fun and easier for kids to eat. Definitely doing this!

For more clever tips and ideas, head over to The Daily Buzz.

Sunday night, I woke myself up relentlessly scratching my left arm and cheeks. I had been attacked by a mosquito that was hanging around my room all night long. It bit me twice below my eye, four times on my left arm, and countless times on my legs. I decided to throw the blanket over my head to protect myself but I started to suffocate so I left a little opening for my nose to breathe. An hour later, I woke up to a throbbing red nose. Yep, the bugger bit me on my nose! I was so paranoid, I barely got any sleep that night.

The next morning my arms and cheeks were swollen because I couldn’t resist from scratching the mosquito bites. Scratching irritates the wound which means longer healing time, and longer healing time means more itching! I tried a number of remedies to stop the itch but only one method worked for me: Scotch tape.

Sealing the bite off from the air makes a big difference! The itch is caused by blood rushing to fill in the small entrance of the bite wound. Because the mosquito left proteins in the bite as an anti-clotting device to feed, the blood pressure sets off the nerve endings which causes inflammation and itchiness. Tape or nail polish keeps the area around the entrance of the wound stable and less inflamed, which allows the bite to heal faster.

So I cleaned the bite area with rubbing alcohol, then covered it with scotch tape. Because I’m super allergic to mosquito bites, I took some allergy medicine that contains diphenhydramine to help relieve the itchiness. The next day, the swelling went down significantly and the bite marks are almost non-existent. Scotch tape really does worked! However, if you’re allergic to scotch tape, try nail polish. And if you’re uncertain about having nail polish on your skin, try using liquid bandaid. So long as you keep the wound area covered and unexposed to air, the itchiness will subside and the bite will heal in a fraction of the time.

We all know that pets aren’t supposed to have people food. But let’s face it, it happens… Something falls on the floor when you’re cooking dinner and your pet is quickly there, vacuuming up the crumbs. When you’re not looking, they steal pieces of food off the plate or scraps left on your coffee table when you walk away for a few seconds.

There are some healthy “people foods” for pets but there are also foods that are dangerous to our feline friends and canine companions. Here’s a list of the most common foods that are toxic to your pet along with tips on what to do if your pet happens to get a hold of any of these substances.

Avocado
Studies have shown that avocado leaves, fruit, seeds and bark contain a toxin called Persin. According to the ASPCA, the Guatemalan variety, which is commonly found in stores, contains the most toxicity. Persin in avocado can cause vomiting and diarrhea for dogs. Birds and rodents are especially sensitive to avocado poisoning, and can develop congestion, difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation around the heart. Some ingestions may even be fatal.

Onions, Onion Powder, Chives and Garlic
These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. Although cats are more susceptible, dogs are at a greater risk if a large enough amount is consumed. Toxicity is normally diagnosed through history, clinical signs and microscopic confirmation of Heinz bodies. An occasional low dose, such as what might be found in pet foods or treats, likely will not cause a problem, but we recommend that you do NOT give your pets large quantities of these foods.

Grapes and Raisins
These can be toxic to dogs and cause kidney failure. There are still many unknowns about the toxicity of grapes and raisins, including whether only certain types of dogs are affected, but it is advised not to feed grapes or raisins to dogs in any amount.

Yeast Dough
Dough that is not cooked and contains yeast can rise in your pet’s stomach, causing pain, and can potentially cause the intestines to rupture. Because the risk diminishes after the dough is cooked and the yeast has fully risen, pets can have small bits of bread as treats. However, these treats should not constitute more than 5 percent to 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake.

Raw/Undercooked Meat and Eggs
Raw meat and raw eggs can contain bacteria that are harmful to pets. Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems.

Left-over Bones
Feeding your pet raw bones may seem like a natural and healthy option that might occur if your pet lived in the wild. However, this can be very dangerous for a domestic pet, who might choke on bones, or sustain a grave injury should the bone splinter and become lodged in or puncture your pet’s digestive tract.

Chocolate, Coffee, and Caffeine
The substances in chocolate, coffee, and caffeine can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, tremors, seizures, and potentially death in pets. The higher the cocoa percentage, the more dangerous the chocolate is, making dark chocolate more toxic than milk or white chocolate. All these products can cause vomiting, diarrhea and even death.

What do you do if your pet ate something poisonous?
If your animal is having seizures or losing consciousness, bring him or her to your veterinarian or emergency vet center. If your pet is not showing symptoms, but ingested something potentially toxic, call the ASPCA hotline at (888) 426-4435. Have the following information available: the species, breed, age, sex, weight, and information about the product exposure. It is best to have the package of the product available for reference.

For a list of foods potentially poisonous to pets, check out HumaneSociety.org.

I remember going shopping with my best friend and he ended up buying a purple sweater without realizing the color. I tried hard to talk him out of it but he ended up buying it anyway and it wasn’t until we walked out of the store when I asked him, “So what made you want to buy a purple sweater?” To which he replied, “It’s purple?!?”

My best friend is color blind. As is about 7 to 10 percent of the male population in the United States. Contrary to belief, color blindness is not the inability to see any color. People who are color blind aren’t seeing the world in black and white. It is the inability to perceive the difference between some of the colors that others can distinguish. For instance, when my friend bought the sweater, he thought he was buying a brownish-gray sweater because his color deficiency is red-green. He can’t tell the difference between green and brown, or blue and purple.

Many of the genes involved in color vision are on the X chromosome, making color blindness more common in males than females because males have only one X chromosome, while females have two. Therefore, it only affects about 0.4% of women in the U.S.

The Ishihara color test, which consists of a series of pictures of colored spots, is the test most often used to diagnose red-green color deficiencies. Below are 9 plates that test for color blindness. All plates show a big circle consisting of many little colorful circles. Because the circles differ in color and brightness it can get really tough for a color blind person to see the numbers or traces. Click on the link at the very end of the test for the answers.

NOTE:
If you take the following color blindness test, please be aware that these pictures are reproduced by your monitor display and thus, can alter the colors. Because a color blindness test relies solely on correct color reproduction you shouldn’t take the results for granted. Consult your doctor for a professional opinion.

Click here for the answers!

Fish is generally a healthy protein choice, lower in saturated fat, total fat and calories than a comparable portion of meat or poultry. Eating fish can also help prevent dementia and ease arthritis but a new study raises old concerns about mercury. How safe is fish?

Mercury is a bigger problem for kids than for people 50+
TRUE. A 2004 federal advisory warned certain groups — including pregnant women and young children — against eating fish with high mercury levels, because mercury can damage the brain and nervous system in unborn babies and young children. But older people with their fully developed systems can tolerate higher amounts.

All fish have roughly the same levels of mercury.
FALSE. Most fish contain traces of mercury (primarily from industrial pollution), but levels vary. Large fish that are higher in the food chain — such as sharks, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish — accumulate more contaminants because they consume lots of smaller fish. Your best bet is to eat smaller fish and shellfish which have lower mercury levels, such as salmon, cod, crabs, pollack, and flounder.

Fatty fish are good for you.
TRUE. Fatty fish such as salmon and herring are high in unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower blood pressure, enhance immune function, and improve arthritis symptoms. Most fish and shellfish are also low in saturated fat but avoid frying them and adding rich sauces or lots of butter! And if your jeans are feeling snug, fish can help you get trim because they’re high-protein and low-calorie.

You should eat fish once a week.
FALSE. Aim for at least twice, per the American Heart Association, particularly for fatty fish. At least two servings a week will protect against the risk of dying from heart disease and the risk of dying from sudden cardiac death. The benefits of fish far outweigh the risks!

For more information about fish and health, check out About.com: Nutrition.