First Aid Kit for Your Home

After breaking my leg on a recent ski trip, I came home to realize that our medicine cabinet consisted of some Tylenol, oddly shaped band aids and an expired tube of Neosporin. Not exactly the items you want should sickness (or tragedy) strike in your home.
I searched online for some all-in-one kits, but found them really expensive and not all inclusive. However, the best site I found was First Aid Supply, so if you don't have the time to assemble one yourself, check out their huge selection.
Before listing all of the things your home first aid kit should have, let's talk some basics:

• Container- The first aid kit should be lightweight, portable and organized. Some suggestions for suitable containers include fishing tackle box, ice cooler, travel dopp kit/make-up bag. You can also use Ziploc bags to further organize the contents.
• Location- Make sure your first aid kit is in a convenient location, but out of children's reach. Some suggestions would be the top of your refrigerator, linen closet, kitchen cabinet or laundry room.
• More than Just Medicine- Your first aid kit should be more than just band-aids and aloe. Include such things as emergency contact numbers, poison control number, allergies for all family members, dates of last immunization shots, number and directions to closest emergency room and any other life saving information (CPR instructions, Heimlich maneuver, etc.).

Now that you have something and somewhere to place your home's first aid kit, below are some items that should be in it:

• Cold & Allergy Remedies (antiseptic throat lozenges, nasal decongestant spray, cold & flu medication)
• Heartburn/Stomach (anti-diarrheal, antacid tablets, Pepto-Bismol, etc.)
• General Pain Relievers (Ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.)
• Ointment/Creams (hydrocortisone cream, aloe vera, hand sanitizer, sunblock, burn gel)
• Antibiotics (amoxicillin)
• Allergy Medicine (Benadryl, EpiPen, Claritin, etc.)
• Eyes & Ears (antibiotic ear & eye drops, eye bandages, sterile eyewash, gel eyedrops, cotton swabs, earplugs)
• Insects (repellent with 50% deet, insecticide, insect bite treatment)
• Bandages (Band-aids, nonstick dressings, blister dressings, antiseptic wipes, ace bandage, steri-strips, sutures, needles and needle holders, syringes, surgical blades, triangular bandage and anesthetic)
• Tools (thermometers, scissors, flashlight, emergency/"space" blanket, instant acting cold packs and non-latex surgical gloves).

This may sound like you need a suitcase instead of a tackle box to keep all of these items, but the truth is most of these items aren't bulky and you only need limited quantities. I suggest buying travel size or small quantity for most of these items (especially the medicines because they expire). Besides, all of these items will ensure you are well prepared in case of an emergency.

Here is a link to some great books on how to administer first aid in your home:

FIRST AID BOOKS ON AMAZON

Understanding Sake

During the Lenten season, our family doesn't eat meat on Friday. This is a great excuse to indulge in one of our favorite foods: sushi. As I dreamed of little bites of unagi and toro, my mouth watered and mind wondered to that amazing nectar that is commonly associated with sushi. That nectar is sake. However, for most people, navigating the delicious world of sake can be a daunting task. By definition, "sake" means alcoholic beverage and there are so many different varieties and styles that shopping for the perfect bottle can be overwhelming. Although most people refer to sake as rice wine, it is actually brewed like beer and the process for making this nectar is often more complicated and complex than wine.

Here are some helpful hints regarding sake:

• Forget the hot stuff. Sake that is served hot is often boiled to hide impurities. Premium sakes are served chilled.
• It's all about the rice. The quality of rice is crucial for good sake. As more and more of the outer rice shell is milled away, the better quality of the sake. Honjozo is the bottom of the premium market with 30% of the outer shell of the rice removed. Ginjo sake removes 40% and Daiginjo removes the most with at least 50-65% of the outer shell removed.
• Smell the sake. Just like wine, you should appreciate the aromatics of sake. The scents tend to be more earthy than wine and vary from lemon zest, cedar, pepper to spring flowers.
• Pairing sake with food. This may be a little tough to navigate as a novice, but as you drink more and more sake, it will become second nature. Pair your light, clean and citrus sakes with sushi, shellfish and seafood. Earthier sakes go great with noodle bowls, vegetable, mushroom and beef dishes. The sweeter sakes pair nicely with poultry dishes, especially duck.
• Drink the bottle the day it is opened. Some people say you can store the sake for a week in the refrigerator, but it loses its qualities pretty fast. Drink it the same day for maximum flavor.

Sake has a slightly more "alcohol" taste on the tongue than wine with a fabulous sweet-sour aftertaste. It is typically served in small wooden or ceramic cups, but serving sake in white wine glasses is perfectly acceptable. Japanese tradition suggests that you pour sake for others and the gesture will be returned to you. Want to know more about sake? I have listed some great resources on the web for you below. Happy Drinking!

Websites:

www.esake.com

www.sake-world.com

www.00sake.com

Diversification May Be Hazardous to Your Financial Health

For the longest time financial pundits have espoused the benefits of diversification. They even have financial calculators that tell you what your mix of stocks, bonds and cash should be depending on your age. Recently though I came across and interesting statistic from Morningstar:

• 17% of all stocks tripled in value during the last five years, but just 1% of all mutual funds matched that performance.

Now I am not suggesting you take a dart and blindly throw it at the business section's stock listings, but I am urging you to take the time to re-balance (or completely overhaul) your stock portfolio. Here are some tips to maximize your stock returns:

• Find the best public companies that you are personally interested in or understand.
• Make sure they have a top notch management team that has a significant stake in the company and are buying (not selling) the company's stock.
• The company should be growing and be in a growth industry with lots of market potential.

These tips may seem vastly generalized, but they are for a reason and not every public company will fit these criteria. The purpose of the list above is to provide you with a guideline for screening a dozen or so stocks for the best of the best. This isn't a new strategy by any means. As a matter of fact the world's second richest man, Warren Buffett, avoids diversification by owning a few companies that he knows and understands.

Here is a list of companies that I am currently looking at:

• Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Target (TGT), 3M (MMM), Garmin (GRMN), FedEx (FDX), Citigroup (C), Centex (CTX), MetLife (MET)

Why buy a bunch of average stocks when the only outcome is going to be average returns? I still believe in having your money in different investment classes (a mixture of stocks, bonds, cash, real estate, gold, etc.). It just doesn't make sense to own 20 individual stocks that you know nothing about and cannot keep up with on a regular basis. Happy Investing!

Everything You Need to Know About Restaurants

There are over 200,000 table side restaurants in the U.S. With our fast paced lifestyles, these restaurants are becoming a larger part of our daily routine. The good news is restaurants have made big strides in recent years to provide us with healthier menu options. The bad news is I am about to take you on a journey behind the scenes of your favorite restaurants.

• Never eat out on Mondays. I know the last thing you want to do on Monday, after starting another grueling work week, is to cook at home. Would it make you feel any better that most restaurants on Monday are using food left over from Saturday (or even earlier)? You see restaurants always use the oldest ingredients first, not the stuff delivered fresh on Monday morning.
• Eating out can be hazardous to your health. Many restaurant workers are often hourly employees who make near minimum wages. Missing a shift can mean financial disaster for many of them, so they all work sick. Check inspection results and health department info for your favorite restaurants. Otherwise, the quick and easy way is to look at the bathroom. If it is clean, the rest of the place is probably clean too.
• Selling food makes the place money, but booze makes it rich. Food costs only average 40% of the menu price, but wine and liquor typically sells for 2-3 times the retail price. Restaurants often list their biggest money makers first and bury the good "value" options in the middle of the menu. To avoid the inflated prices on bottles of wine, ask the receptionist when making your reservation if you can BYOB. Many places allow this for a small corkage fee. If they refuse at first, tell them you have a special bottle you would like to bring that you believe will pair perfectly with one of their menu items (make sure you know their menu first and don't bring a bottle the restaurant already has in their cellar).
• Menu items that sound healthy, may not be so healthy. Restaurant meals average almost 1,500 calories. The reason for all of the calories.....BUTTER. Just because you order fish and veggies doesn't mean both weren't swimming in butter before they were plated. Don't be afraid to speak up and tell your waiter your dining preferences. If something is fried, ask for it to be grilled. Ask for the veggies to be steamed and get some olive oil on the side. You will not offend the chef, since their goal is to make sure you are satisfied and return to the restaurant.

This is just a primer for surviving the eating out game. In future posts, I will give you some more helpful hints on eating healthier at restaurants. In the meantime, have a cocktail before you go out and enjoy the bottle of wine when you come home. For me, I cannot justify paying $80 for a bottle of DeLoach Pinot Noir that I can buy next door for $25. Happy Dining.

Your Workout Deserves a Personal Trainer

I don't care how long you have been working out, you (and your workout) deserves a personal trainer. They aren't as expensive as you think (on average they cost $50 per hour, but can range from $15 to over $100 per hour). No matter what the price tag though, you cannot afford NOT to have a personal trainer on your side. Here are a couple of reasons why you should be working out with a personal trainer:

• A personal trainer forces you to answer to somebody other than yourself. Plus, it makes it easier to get to the gym when you actually have an appointment.
• You will finally learn the correct way to use the machines and weights around the gym. Believe it or not, over 70% use gym equipment incorrectly. This translates into not maximizing your reps or, even worse, injury to your precious joints and tendons.
• Even if you are a seasoned gym rat, personal trainers can take your workout and your body to a different level. They have the knowledge and experience to help you create new, exciting and challenging routines. Heck, they can even make working out fun.

Enough about all of the benefits of having a personal trainer, here are some tips on finding the RIGHT personal trainer for you:

• Check their credentials. It seems like there are dozens of organizations that "certify" trainers. However, the two most established and reputable may be the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength Conditioning Association.
• Interview Potential Trainers. Ask them what their career goals are. Many of them are part timers on their way to another career. Ask about their educational background. Are they trained in CPR? Find out if they have any specialities (sports injuries, geriatrics, obesity, depression) or additional licensing/certification (dietitian, nutritionist). Finally, what do they look like physically? They do not have to be muscle bound, but should be fit and should dress professionally. Don't be afraid to ask for a complimentary initial consultation or session. After all, you wouldn't buy a car without test driving one first.
• Get References and Referrals. Ask your friends, co-workers or neighbors for recommendations. Once you have interviewed a few trainers, ask them for the names and phone numbers of current and PAST clients that you can call. Ask the current and former clients about the trainer's style, if goals were set and why they didn't continue working out with this trainer (if they are former clients).

No matter what your goals or motivations are for working out, adding a personal trainer is a key step to living a healthier life. The price to pay for a personal trainer is small in comparison to the gains you will soon see.