Help Is On The Way...St.Patty's Day Hangover Cures

My latest article I wrote for FoxNews.com...Check it out!

Concoctions to help with your St. Patrick's Day hangovers

By Lindsay Carlton

Published March 15, 2013

| FoxNews.com

    

 

If you’re getting ready to take part in all the boozy festivities for St. Patrick’s Day you may want to consider having one more special refreshment on tap this year. Forget the old hair of the dog hangover cure.  Today there are a host of drinks and concoctions that manufactures say will give you a little luck of the Irish by helping you ease your aching head and churning stomach.  To help you celebrate and curb your hangover fears, we put together our top picks for preventative hangover drinks.


Directed to take as your last drink of the night, the citrus-flavored beverage combines nutrients, vitamins (like B1 and C) and amino acids that together produce one of your body’s most powerful antioxidant, glutathione. Glutathione is like your inner body superhero, it fights off the evil toxin acetaldehyde that forms in your body when you drink. “Mercy preps the body for battle against acetaldehyde, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed and healthy,” Dr. Steven Lamm, a NYU School of Medicine faculty member who supports the product told FoxNews.com. The 65-calorie beverage should be taken for every 3-5 cocktails you consume.
Price: $12.50/4-pack


This nutritional shot by Juice Generation is filled with 100 percent Prickly Pear extract. According to a Tulane Health Sciences Center study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, an extract of prickly pear cactus can decrease hangover symptoms by reducing inflammation in the body. The study found that when taken hours before drinking, the extract can alleviate symptoms like dry mouth and nausea. “Prickly pear has long been used to reduce inflammation, it fights inflammation because it is loaded with micronutrients such as calcium, iron, potassium, selenium in the skin, zinc in the seeds, and carotenoids in the pulp,” licensed certified nutritionist Maria Calton told FoxNews.com. “The physiological misery from a hangover can absolutely be minimized. It’s all about removing the inflammation, detoxifying the body and replenishing your micronutrients,” Calton said.
Price: $3.95/ 1oz shot.


Although it might look like just another sports drink, 989 is an enhanced vitamin beverage that promises to leave any dehydrated and hung-over patron with a healthy dose of nutrients. The 100 percent natural and calorie-free drink helps replenish your body with 9 vitamins, 84 ionic minerals and 5 electrolytes. To ensure that all of its vitamins and active ingredients stay fresh and unaffected by environmental elements like air and light, 989 stores its ingredients inside the bottles air-sealed cap. When your hangover starts to kick in you simply twist open the cap to release the feel-better vitamins into the water below.
Price: $1.99-$2.49/20oz bottle


When Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, the King of late-night parties, endorses a drink that helps him recover after a night of party-hopping and globetrotting, you know it must work. He and actor/producer Mark Wahlberg recently lent their names to this and other sports nutrition products.  At the AQUAhydrate press conference Diddy announced, “I was at a party last night till 4am, and look how fresh and hydrated I am today.”  Makers of this performance water beverage say it is all about the enhanced electrolytes and a high pH (+9). While the electrolytes work to rehydrate your body the Ph (+9) helps combat acidic waste to bring your body back to balance.
 Price: $1.99/ 1L Bottle.


Although these beverages seem like miracle solutions to hangovers, not all health experts are convinced. “Some might help you recover a bit faster—but people who are convinced that they do wonders are probably falling prey to a pretty hefty placebo response. In other words, they could get just as much relief from drinking Gatorade,” Monica Reinagel, Licensed Nutritionist and the Nutrition Diva for Quick and Dirty Tips told FoxNews.com


Dr. Michael Oshinsky, a hangover headache researcher at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia says the only true hangover cure is… not to drink too much, but, if you do, “It would be sufficient for people to treat their hangover by hydrating the body, taking a drug like Advil the night before and then in the morning have a cup of coffee and eat something,” Oshinsky said.

 

Whichever method you use for easing the unpleasant aftermath of a night of heavy drinking, in the words of the Irish, “May your glass be ever full”.


http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/03/15/beverages-to-cure-your-st-pattys-day-hangovers/?intcmp=features

Beauty Alert!: Gel Manicures a 'Cancer Risk' ?!

Although I have never tried the popular 'gel manicure' ( because I'm too cheap) that claim to be chip-free and last up to 2 weeks.. I do have friends that rave about them and their longevity.

However-- a new warning from doctors say the flawless manicure can actually increase your risk of skin cancer. That's right, SKIN CANCER!

The UV light used to dry the gel is said to cause some risky damage to skin cells.

The doctor behind the warning, Dr. Chris Adigun of the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, says "Women who frequently get gel manicures should consider their skin cancer risk because the UV light needed to cure the gel manicure is a risk factor."

The warning may seem a little far-fetched to you but two women who had no history of skin cancer developed tumors on their hands from the UV nail lights (according to research in JAMA Dermatology in 2009).

So what's a Nailista to do? Slap some sunscreen on your hands before going under the nail lamp!

Or, as I do, go back to good ol' regular nail polish that dries under a LED lap (which doesn't pose any health or cancer threats).

I'm the first one to admit I am a tad bit OCD when it comes to my nails and keeping them neat and tidy but with all the scary cancers going around these days what's one more preventive measure? 

Valentine's Day..And All The Silly Survey's & Stats

Who actually reads all those sappy Valentine's Day stories and studies that take over the internet the week before February 14th? Sure some of the numbers are interesting but all the love me/ love me not crap in between is nauseating. So here are some of the more interesting stats for the single and taken gals and guys ( this way you don't have to read the unwanted love news or bachelor/ bachelorette stats...

For the Singles:

• 40% of people say going out with friends is the best break-up remedy (Bing survey)

• A surprising 1 in 10 people admit to having broken up with someone on Valentine’s Day. (Bing survey)

• SeekingArrangement.com, revealed that on average a man needs to shell out $218 to “get lucky” on Valentine’s Day. The study also revealed on average how much married, single, and committed men spend during this holiday: Single: $257: Dinner or Activity Married:$203: Presents, Committed a Relationship: $180:Presents

• Does a date’s height, debt and virginity really matter? 71% of women are not likely to date someone shorter than themselves; 42% of singles would not date a virgin (33% of men and 51% of women); and 65% of singles would not date someone with considerable credit card debt (>$5K). (Match.com survey)

• Connecting online ranks #1 amongst places where singles meet. nearly 1/3 of singles (27.5%) reported that they have dated someone whom they met online. In addition, 20% of singles met their most recent first date online vs. 7% who met at a bar. (Match.com survey)

" If you want new results in love, you have to do things - and date - differently"- Andrea Syrtash, author of Cheat On Your Husband (With Your Husband)



For the Attached:

• Six million people are planning or expecting a marriage proposal for Valentine's Day, up from 4 million in 2012. ( American Express Spending and Saving Tracker consumer report)

• Romantic love survives long-term. Over 80% of married men and women would marry the same person again, while 76% married men and 73% women are still very much in love with their current spouse:: 8-10 on a scale of 10 being “deeply in love”. ( Match.com)

• Nearly two-thirds of couples surveyed say a weekend getaway is more likely to spark romance in their relationship than a gift. (U.S. Travel Association)

• 28% of the couples say their sex life actually improved after traveling together. Of those couples, 40% say the improvement was permanent. (U.S. Travel Association)

"For women, manage expectations so there's no disappointment. Men aren't mind readers. If he gets the day wrong- move on. It doesn't have to be a big deal unless you make it one. If Valentine’s Day is too inconvenient or falls on a busy day, celebrate on day before or day after. Don’t put too much pressure on celebrating the actual day".  - Relationship guru and SiriusXM host Jenny Hutt

Happy It's Friday? This Traffic Reporter is!

his Cincinnati traffic reporter likes to have a good time! Who says Weathermen are the only ones who can be goofy on local news...Too bad Good Morning America doesn't cover traffic in the morning, I can see this guy doing a great duet with Sam Champion!

~~~~ Still Need to Shop? Gift Ideas for a Foodie ~~~~

If your like me and haven't finished your Holiday shopping yet, have no fear! Below are some great suggestions for gifts for the ultimate food-lover or Cook!

Best kitchen gift ideas

By Lindsay Carlton

Published December 18, 2012

| FoxNews.com

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The holidays are upon us and if you haven’t finished all your shopping just yet, you’re not alone.

According to the National Retail Federation, in 2010 and 2011 the average person still had half of their shopping to complete as of mid-December. But with all the enticing promotions and advertisements being thrown at you from each and every direction, it’s hard to decide just what gift to get your special someone.

If you’re shopping for that ultimate food-lover in your life, look no further. To help you find the perfect present we put together our top picks for foodies this year.

The ActiFry: Who doesn’t like fried food? Its crispy oily crust is downright delectable. But what about an appliance that eliminates nearly half the fat with just as much flavor and taste? ActiFry is the healthy version of a deep fryer that transforms everyday fried and fatty meals into healthier versions. Anyone looking to shed some extra fat but still wants t0 enjoy their favorite deep-fried treats will love this gift. The low-fat fryer uses just a tablespoon of oil for a fresh serving of French fries. Eating-up 10 ActiFry buffalo wings will only set you back 250 calories/18 grams of fat, compared to 10 KFC wings with about 700 calories/ 40 grams of fat. $250- Available at Bed, Bath and Beyond or tfalactifry.com.

Eataly’s Antipasti platter: Quality authentic Italian delicacies are hard to come by, but thanks to New York’s popular Italian market Eataly, you can find and purchase them online. Any true Italian food-lover will enjoy one of Eataly’s newly-introduced gift baskets that are filled with everything from a bruschetta tomato herb spread to a mushrooms and truffle sauce. “Eatly is renowned for its Italian indulgences and this platter brings it home. Whether they’re having friends over, or are having a quiet night in with the family, any Italian foodie will savor every last bite,” Dana Holmes, editor-in-chief of Gifts.com told FoxNews.com. $69.80 Available at http://www.eataly.com/.

Wines that Rock: If you’re looking for a gift for your best wino and don’t want to pick up the typical set of wine glasses or coasters, consider the gift of a rocking bottle of wine.

Wines That Rock combine some of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time with great tasting wines. Winemaker Mark Beaman crafted custom wines inspired by legendary artists like The Police, The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones. Not only do the wines capture the essence of each album in its taste (Mark said it made sense to make Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon album into a Cabernet Sauvignon because it “needed to be a wine that was haunting”), but the unique wine labels also add a special flare to this gift. Each bottle sports classic album art on its front label. A Rolling Stones fan? Pick up the Rolling Stones’s Forty Licks Merlot that showcases their iconic lips and tongue logo.

“Wines That Rock was a pleasant surprise to try. Not only do they make a unique gift for music fans – who’s not going to love a Pink Floyd wine label, after all – but they’re a collection that even the most serious of oenophiles will love. The red blends went down smoothly, and even seemed to fit the songs,” Marcy Franklin, Drink Editor at TheDailyMeal.com told FoxNews.com.$14.99/bottle Available at Wine.com, WinesThatRock.com, Amazon.com and your local wine & liquor store.

Verseur: If you’re buying for the more practical wine drinker, try wrapping up a Verseur. A multi-tasking gadget that combines a corkscrew, foil cutter, pour spout and bottle stopper, it’s the ultimate Swiss army knife for wine drinkers. The full service wine tool is made of stainless steel, with a black rubber pourer and cap to save all your favorite wines. $24.99 Available at Quirky.com & Target.

Corkcicle: A great addition to any wine-lover’s closet must be the Corkcicle. This simple yet genius invention will always keep your wine at the perfect and preferred temperature. Once you freeze the ice cube-like device, it slides right into any full size bottle of wine, chilling your vino without watering it down. A corkcicle will make a wonderful gift for a party host or anyone who likes to sip and linger over a nice bottle of wine.

“This is a fantastic product and is much more inventive than putting your wine in a wine chiller. I’d love one of these for myself at home!” Louis Fugazy, owner of The Madelyn in NYC told FoxNews.com. $24.95 Available at www.fab.com

The Talking Measuring Cup: When it comes to precise measurements of dry and wet ingredients, even professional chefs could use a little help in the kitchen. The talking measuring cup verbally announces the volume of your ingredients, doing away with the old household method of ‘eyeballing’ the amounts. It holds up to three-cups of ingredients and is made of unbreakable frosted plastic that is microwave and dishwasher safe.

“I love the talking measuring cup because very few people know there is a difference between dry and wet measuring cups, which often affects the outcome of a recipe,” Anne Dolce, cook editor at TheDailyMeal.com said. “This cup does away with the problem of using a wet measuring cup for dry ingredients and vice versa because not only does it tell you exactly how much has been measured, but it lets you choose the density of what you’re measuring as well,” Dolce told FoxNews.com. $59.95 Available at www.Hammacher.com.

Cool Culinaria Prints: Anyone who loves original art and images from the good old days of the 40’s and 50’s will enjoy a Cool Culinaria print for their home. Some of the most famous landmark restaurant and diner menus were reimaged into charming posters and prints. These rare reprints will be a creative and thoughtful gift for your loved ones, you can pick a hot-spot from one of their favorite cities like the best-selling print of The J.H Ireland in Chicago or even a vintage cocktail menu for their bar area. $28.00- $45.00 (prices vary per print) Available at CoolCulinaria.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/12/18/in-kitchen-gift-guide/print#ixzz2FbAEwzM5

~~~~Hidden Hotel Secrets: The Inside Scoop~~~~

Before you check in to your next hotel this holiday season, check out my latest article on FoxNews.com that profiles a new memoir on the in and outs of the hotel industry plus it shares some great tips on how to get some hotel perks you never thought you could get!

Hotel confidential: Secrets to scoring hotel freebies

By Lindsay Carlton

Published December 07, 2012

| FoxNews.com

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Traveling during the holidays can be a stressful endeavor. Whether you're shacked up with relatives or settled in at a hotel, staying in an unfamiliar room never feels quite as comfortable as your own home does.

For years hotels have gone through the ringer trying to please and accommodate guests. Maids will fold your toilet paper corners while front desk agents turn into your personal alarm clock. What else could you possibly ask for? What about a room upgrade? How about some free movie rentals and mini bar beverages? Wouldn’t an early check-in with a complimentary cotton robe be nice?

But's let not ask what a hotel staffer can do you for, rather what you can for them to avoid getting a gift you didn't ask for. 

If you ever wondered how to get some of these extra hotel perks, you may want to pick up Jacob Tomsky’s new book this holiday season. Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group) takes a candid look into the world of hotels, offering insightful and yet unexpected advice on how to get the most out of your hotel stay.

Tomsky, a 10-year hotel veteran quickly climbed the hotel ranks holding name tags as a valet, a housekeeping supervisor and a front desk agent. In his book he gifts his readers with some valuable tricks of the trade he learned along the way.  

Like many things in life, money talks, and in the hotel world, tips can make or break your stay. If you want the chance to get the well sought after room upgrade Tomsky says slipping the front desk agent a bill when checking in could do the trick. Simply wrap a bill ($20 or $50) around the credit card you’re going to use and hand to the agent when your checking in. Tomsky says there’s no reason to be nervous, “it‘s not a drug deal and no agent will pocket the money and just say thank you. Asking for an upgrade might guarantee you’re not going to get one but I gave some lady at the front desk $20 and she really took care of me, gave me a corner suite, it was great,” Tomsky told FoxNews.com.

Other Tomsky “tips” to enhance your stay:

The Valet: Give $1-2 dollars for each time they pull around or park your car. It‘s always better not to stiff that valet before they skid off with your vehicle, plus giving them a few bucks beforehand might keep you in their mind before they skid away with your ride. “Before handing over your keys it’s also a good idea to walk around your car to note any pre-existing marks or scratches,” Tomsky said.

The Bellman: It’s standard to give about $2 per bag that he/she is bringing up to your room. You can always turn down their help but you can get some pretty good information from the bellman. “They’re often born and raised in the city or town you’re staying in and can give you some really great advice on what local restaurants and places to check out,” Tomsky told FoxNews.com. “Plus the bellmen know what all the rooms in the hotel are like so if you get to your room and you’re not overly excited about it they’re right there to tell you about the better rooms to ask for.”

The Maid: Nothing less than $5, but you can give $10-20 upfront if you’re staying for a few days. “If you happen to see a maid with her cart in the hallway stop and see if you can grab some extra shampoo or lotion, slip them a few dollars and ask if they can send up whatever else they can. Depending on the level of the hotel, they’ll have closets stocked with amenities to take advantage of; slippers, shoe horns, lint rollers and all sorts of travel sized items,” Tomsky said.

The Concierge: For something like directions around $2-3 will suffice, but if their getting you reservations at a popular restaurant you should give about $10-20. Even in the era of the Internet and smart phones, concierges still have firsthand experience with the best places in town. “You can try calling for a table yourself, but they’re the ones that will have good connections and real pull to get you that reservation,” Tomsky told FoxNews.com.

Extra Freebies: Tomsky says the overstocked and overpriced mini bar charges are the most disputed on any bill. Although it’s hard to believe in a world where most mini bars have become censored, he insists that all you have to do is tell the front desk you ‘never touched the minibar’ and they will wipe away the charges. “It would be a weird desk agent to say ‘you sure you didn’t have these?’ That’s a terrible stance to take,” Tomsky said.

Apparently free movie rentals are also easy to score. “Once you’ve finished watching your movie just call down to the front desk and tell them the movie just froze in the middle or it turned off suddenly,” Tomsky told FoxNews.com. “Usually there is a subscription fee that they pay for the hotel as a total so they’re not losing any money.”

Lastly, the luxurious and cozy bathroom robes. Of course they sell them for an outrageous amount in the hotel gift shop but Tomsky says you can take one home for free. “They’re supposed to have robes preset in each room but you can call up and tell them your room is missing a robe. In the time it takes someone to come up and deliver you another one, you can stash the extra robe right into your suitcase.” Tomsky told FoxNews.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2012/12/07/how-to-avoid-hotel-worker-revenge-and-to-get-most-out-your-stay/print#ixzz2EO0TWED1

The Game of Gift Giving.. What to Buy for Men

If you haven't started your holiday shopping yet.. Get On It.

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales behind us, its time to hunker down on your gift list and start shopping.. How else is our economy going to get out of the gutter?

Since a decent amount of holiday gift pitches come across my desk at work I figured I'd share a few of my favorites here. I'm going to start with some ideas for picking out a gift for the men in your lives. Whether it's your husband, significant other, brother, cousin etc...

 Here are a few manly gifts to consider.

A nationwide dating survey reported that 26% of males are attracted to die-hard sports fans and 46% of men find women who know their sports trivia attractive..So pay attention to what his favorite sports team is and score his MVP (Most Valued Present) this year.


If you can afford it and brave the plausible blustering winter weather grab some sports tickets for the two of you to enjoy... He won't expect you to shell out thousands for the best seats but pick the best ones you can afford... some ticket sites to browse through; www.tktguy.com  www.fansnap.com, www.hookuptickets.com to name a few outside the regular stubhub.com and craigslist hot spots...

If you have to travel to go see his team then start with some fun sports gear that will keep him warm this winter...You can find them here:  http://shop.neweracap.com/search?q=nfl%20on%20field

Let him know you have a sense of humor with a Boobzie, a line of voluptuous coozies to keep those beverages cool. Find them at: http://www.boobzie.com/

Get him off the couch without sounding like a nagging old wife with the gift of NBA Baller Beats... its a motion-based sports video game that requires you to use a real basketball in an interactive beats-driven experience. Players will have to time their dribble to the beat of each song and perform a variety of skill moves displayed on-screen to score points.. The only catch is that its exclusively on Kinect™ for Xbox 360, so make sure he has that type of game counsel before you go ahead and buy it... its sounds like cool concept though that you could easily turn into a fun competitive game to play against each other in. www.nbaballerbeats.com

For a neat semi-techy gift that you might also want for yourself check out the billfold wallet case. Its a sleek wallet/phone case in one! It's a leather phone case that also carries credit cards in a 2 slot holder and an ID in a clear pocket. Find it here: http://www.quirky.com/products/448-Keeper-stick-on-wallet