Meditation can also stabilize your stress, as numerous studies show that regular meditators have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their brains versus non-meditators. When the mind or body is stressed or in fear, your body will release cortisol. In the short term, elevated cortisol levels are necessary to help the body focus through temporary emergencies, but long term, excess, lingering cortisol levels can wreak havoc on body systems, harming memory, immunity, blood pressure, and more....

Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know about navigating the market right now to get the best deal on your dream home or make a successful sale. 1. Weigh supply and demand. The market is on track to become more balanced—but there’s still a high demand and low supply. We’re currently in uncharted territory when it comes to the housing market, an uncertainty that goes back to the Great Recession of 2008, when the building industry was negatively impacted, says Chris Masiello, CEO and president of BHG Real Estate the Masiello Group....

Step 1: Cut in shortening. Start by combining the dry ingredients: 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.Use a pastry blender to cut 1/3 cup shortening into the flour mixture.Work just until the pieces are the size of small peas. Step 2: Moisten the flour mixture. Sprinkle ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over part of the flour mixture.Toss gently with a fork; push moistened flour to one side of the bowl....

One way to derail all potentially relaxing elements of this routine? Drowning your otherwise perfect pour-over or espresso in sugar, syrupy stuff, and other chemical-ridden creamers. More likely than not, your should-be energy-boosting beverage will leave you feeling sleepy, sluggish, and overcome with brain fog. If you’re tired of the same old cup of coffee, skip the sweetener and try one of these delicious upgrades from nutrition expert Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN....

How to Make Noodles from Scratch For this demonstration, we’re using our homemade noodles recipe. The pasta recipe makes enough egg noodles for five servings, so multiply the measurements as needed to serve your group. 1. Gather the Noodle Ingredients To make the homemade noodle dough, grab your flour, salt, eggs, oil, and water. Yes, that’s all. 2. Mix the Dough In a large mixing bowl ($8, Bed Bath & Beyond) stir together flour and the salt....

We’ll show you how to tie-dye Easter eggs with paper towels: It’s easier than it sounds, and the result is bright and bold. If you’re making this Easter craft with kids, help them wrap hard-boiled eggs with paper towels and use a mixture of vinegar and food coloring. Then, hide these colorful creations at the annual Easter egg hunt, or use the retro eggs as pretty Easter decor. Editor’s tip: Remember your Easter egg safety: Hard-cooked eggs left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours should not be eaten....

This lifestyle shift created by social distancing measures means forgoing standard medical appointments. It also means skipping just-in-case emergency room visits for minor ailments like sore throats and cuts, so medical staff can focus all their attention on treating, testing, and caring for those who need it most right now. None of this is to say you should miss out on receiving professional medical advice altogether. After all, this is 2020, and telemedicine is readily available....

But the only thing standing in the way of all that tart goodness is peeling and coring the apples, especially if your dish calls for a dozen or more. Fortunately, it’s easy to learn how to core apples efficiently, so you can get your favorite recipes ready faster. Apple Types Before you get started, make sure you choose the right apple variety for your recipe. There are dozens of different types available, but some of our favorites include the following:...

How to Roast Butternut Squash in the Oven This is one of the best ways to cook butternut squash. Roasting allows for subtle browning and caramelization to occur, which means even more flavor by enhancing the natural sweetness of the squash. Take your pick among roasting the squash whole, halved, sliced, or in chunks. Cooking time will vary widely depending on weight and how the squash is cut, and can take anywhere from about one hour for a whole squash, skin and all, to about 30 minutes for butternut squash that’s been cut into bite-size pieces....

Sautéing is simply skillet-cooking and stirring ingredients in a small amount of oil. In this case, the goal is sautéed vegetables cooked to crisp-tender perfection with a slightly caramelized surface. Adding healthy ingredients and color to your dinner plate is easy once you’ve learned how to sauté vegetables. Read on for our simple and easy tutorial for the best way to sauté vegetables, so they can be added as a guest item on your menu more often....

Rest assured, there’s still time to act, whether you start saving for retirement at 25, 35, or 55. Whatever your retirement goals—maintaining your current lifestyle, upgrading, or making a dramatic move—we’ll help you find the right path forward. Our experts guide you one step (and life stage) at a time. If You Haven’t Started Saving You’re not alone. A 2019 Federal Reserve Board report revealed that 25 percent of working Americans have nothing saved for retirement....

You can give your skillet a nonstick surface by seasoning it, or coating the skillet with cooking oil and baking it (see how to season a cast-iron skillet in the above video, or follow the steps outlined below). The skillet won’t take on that shiny black patina immediately out of the oven, but once you dry it with paper towels, it will be ready to use. You’ll reinforce the nonstick coating every time you heat oil in the skillet, and you can hasten the process by seasoning as often as you like—or by using a seasoning spray....

How to Store Fresh Ginger Having ginger on-hand is incredibly useful—you never know when you’re going to need it. To help your ginger stay fresher for longer, make sure to place it in an air-tight food storage container or sealed plastic bag, and then store it in the crisper drawer in the fridge. This will help keep it fresh for a month, or even longer. Once you begin to see greenish-blue mold spots, it’s time to toss your ginger....

How to Store Thanksgiving Turkey Resist the urge to toss the meaty turkey carcass into your fridge, and take a few minutes to store your Thanksgiving turkey correctly to preserve texture and flavor. “The best way to store leftover turkey is in a plastic bag,” suggests Yankel Polak, head chef at ButcherBox. “Not only does this take up the least amount of room in the fridge, but less air in the bag will keep your turkey fresher for longer, as compared to a large food storage container....

Before you begin, it’s important to note that paint-stripping chemicals can be dangerous. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully before starting this project. Follow our instructions on how to strip and paint wood furniture to make old pieces look new again. How to Strip and Repaint Wood Furniture Chemical strippers are not ideal for large projects. For cabinets or large furniture pieces, you might want to consider heaters to remove paint or hire a professional to tackle the project....

Sander (optional)SpongeBucketRagsPutty knife (optional)Trisodium phosphate (TSP)TilePainters tapeUtility knifePencilSchluter strip (optional)Thin-set mortarDrop clothNotched trowelSpacersLevelTape measureScrewdriver or drillElectrical box extenderWet saw or tile cutterGrout floatNon-sanded groutStirrerGrout sealerCaulk and caulk gun Related Video

What is hyaluronic acid? Sodium hyaluronate, or hyaluronic acid, naturally occurs in our bodies, and it works to both attract and seal water into the skin. “The greatest amounts of hyaluronic acid are found in skin soft tissue and the eyes,” says Dr. Payman Danielpour of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group. “Our bodies naturally produce the substance to draw in and retain water to keep the body well lubricated and moist....

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Once you know how to dye eggs naturally, try experimenting with creating new shades. These egg dye recipes are a clever way to use food scraps or spices past their best-by date. Follow our easy instructions to create a batch for your egg hunt or Easter decor. How To Make Natural Easter Egg Dye What You Need Natural Easter egg dye recipe, below Hard-boiled eggs in shells Large wide-mouth jar (such as these Ball Glass Mason Jars, $12, Target)...