Latest news with #RealSimple
Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Warning to anyone eating chicken from the fridge in strict storage rule
Chicken leftovers are a great way to reduce food wastage, but experts say there are three key warning signs the meat is past its best Storing leftover chicken is a touchy subject among Brits - it's a meat that can spoil quickly, and the impacts of eating gone-off chicken are just hideous. If you're always having leftovers or would rather batch cook to save some of your time, and chicken is one of your go-to protein sources, you might want to take notes on how to store it safely. We've all had our doubts whenever we've pulled out a cooked chicken from the fridge from a few days ago. When it comes to cooking, after storage, certain foods can give you a stomach ache and even food poisoning. READ MORE: Lemons stay fresh for a month if kept in unlikely kitchen location How long does cooked chicken last in the fridge According to Real Simple, cooked chicken can stay in the fridge for up to four days. After it's been a few days, simply assess the condition and decide whether it's safe for you to eat it. When examining the chicken, you must check for three things, it says. It explained: 'If the chicken is not yet showing any signs of spoilage (poor smell, smile, or discolouration), you may still be able to eat it or freeze it to preserve it longer.' You can check if the chicken (and any meat) has gone bad by smelling it and also checking its colour. Spoiled chicken has an unpleasant smell and a slimy texture, and it might also have turned grey or green. If in doubt, just throw it away If the chicken is still okay to consume, the site said to thoroughly cook it again to an internal temperature of 73 degrees Celsius to make sure that it's safe to eat. Can you store raw chicken in the freezer? Many households are trying to find different ways to extend the shelf-life of their freshly-store-bought produce. If it has been a couple of days since the raw chicken has been sitting in the fridge, and you're worried about it going bad, freezing it is an option to prolong its consumption. As per the website, raw chicken can last up to nine months when stored in the freezer. However, it's important to freeze it within a day or store after bringing it home from the supermarket. To do so, use a vacuum-sealed bag or an air-tight container. Also, make sure to package it correctly to maintain its freshness and quality and labelling it accordingly can help you know when it's time to finally chuck it out - or whether it's still ok to eat.
Wall Street Journal
3 days ago
- General
- Wall Street Journal
Has Your Dream Renovation Become a Nightmare? Maybe You Need a ‘House Therapist'
A few years ago, I embarked on the renovation of a Brooklyn brownstone whose interior hadn't been touched since the Charleston was the rage. Acquaintances offered all sorts of advice. Interview at least six architects! Be on site before breakfast every day! And while you're at it, they joked, save up for couples counseling, too. Miraculously, my marriage survived the project, despite pandemic delays, thousands of dollars of botched work and a bogus lien. My relationship with the house, however? That was a different story. Two years after I evicted our contractor, clashing paint chips still freckled my newly plastered walls. Our mismatched furniture looked like the leftovers from a church basement rummage sale. I'd begun with Instagram-fueled design visions, but in the wake of the cursed renovation, they fizzled and I was left feeling stuck and sad. Maybe counseling wasn't a bad idea after all. These days you can hire financial therapists, family therapists, career therapists. But who do you hire when you need to get over your house hang-ups? An in-the-know colleague suggested I look up Olga Naiman, a former stylist for Domino, Real Simple and Anthropologie who was raised by two psychiatrists and studied clinical psychology at college. The author of the new design manual, 'Spatial Alchemy,' Naiman has pioneered an unconventional approach to interiors that combines cognitive behavioral therapy, Kabbalistic mysticism and more. The premise: Beyond beautifying your home, intentional design can heal traumas (say, the pain of being bilked out of $25,000 by a contractor), disrupt destructive patterns and foster transformation in every aspect of your life. Did it sound super woo-woo? You bet. But testimonials from those who'd tried Naiman's techniques swayed me. Take Catherine Burns, a consultant and former artistic director of the storytelling organization the Moth, who felt stalled by impostor syndrome after moving to a 'dream apartment' in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Naiman urged Burns to trek to North Carolina to retrieve an antique table from her grandfather's painting studio. A symbol of success and creativity, it's been Burns' dining table ever since. 'Installing it front and center was a way of telling the universe—but more importantly, myself—that I did belong there,' she said. If 'house therapy' could make me stop cringing when I walked through my door, I supposed it was worth a shot. Conversations with other battle-scarred remodelers only deepened my conviction that, although practitioners are now scarce, therapy-informed home design has serious growth potential. (Class of '25, take note!) As one of the biggest financial risks people can take, home improvements come with steep psychological stakes. According to Clever Real Estate's 2024 Home Renovation Survey, about 78% of homeowners went over budget on their last renovation and 74% of remodelers reported regrets. Social media may be chockablock with drool-worthy 'reveals'—but for most of us, real life looks nothing like that. In 2020, Christine Chitnis and her husband bought a 1,600-square-foot lake house in northern Michigan. The plan: to complete a 'refresh' in eight months. Instead, three years later, the project still wasn't finished and, thanks to faulty construction and legal costs, the original budget of $150,000 had ballooned to over $500,000. 'For the first year after, I felt like [expletive] this place—I never want to see it again,' Chitnis said. While she has not gone in search of a 'house therapist,' she did recently come home to find her husband organizing a puja, or Hindu cleansing ceremony, in hopes of exorcising the bad vibes. 'When we invite someone to come in and alter our home we are also inviting them into our psychological life,' explained Joseph R. Lee, a Jungian analyst based in Virginia Beach, Va., and co-creator of the popular podcast 'This Jungian Life.' A veteran of his own construction nightmares, Lee likens the 'educative' process of renovation to falling in love. 'When that fantasy or honeymoon period falls away, you have to confront a new reality on the other side.' Even when people get changes they thought they wanted, the resulting grief can take them aback. When I shared my predicament with Naiman, she wasn't surprised. 'Our relationships with our homes are intimate, and they can be wounded the way all intimate relationships can be,' she explained—adding that many of the techniques she now uses with clients were forged in her own traumatic Covid-era renovation. Her rates start at $450 an hour and range from Zoom strategy sessions to full-service designs; her book and online class, which launches soon, offer much of her wisdom for less of an investment. She agreed to come by and give me a primer. Did her guidance erase all the stress that came before? Nope. But it did leave me with a buzzy energy I hadn't felt in years—and a spreadsheet that sketched out a forward vision for every room in my house. (For a breakdown of one room, read on.) If you need a kick-start too, consider these steps in a 'house therapy' approach. Just as it's unwise to jump right into a new relationship post-breakup, taking a deliberate pause after a bad renovation can be an act of power. 'It's actually good to do nothing for a bit,' said Naiman. 'The nervous system needs time to rest and get a clearer picture of how you hope to live—and feel—in your space.' Emotionally, says Lee, it takes 6-9 months of living in a new place for the psyche to begin thinking of it as home. Central to Naiman's work is the idea of tapping into an idealized 'Future Self,' who's survived challenges and emerged thriving. When it's time for clients to pick up the reins again, she encourages them to let that vision be their north star rather than getting lost in incoherent impulse purchases or decision fatigue. Your home is your laboratory: What styling choices make your Future Self feel supported? What colors turn your Future Self on? 'You can feel in your body when intentions become reality,' Naiman said. Pay attention to the choices that trigger that feeling and proceed accordingly. One of the most painful aspects of renovations gone wrong can be a lingering sense of powerlessness, says Lee. When you're ready to shake that cycle, Naiman says, sometimes it takes an active decision to 'exit complaint mode.' Even hokey rituals can give closure. After a botched roof caused catastrophic flooding in an apartment Burns relied on for crucial income, Naiman smudged the space with sage and the two spent time lightheartedly imagining who her 'dream tenant' would be. 'It seemed a little silly,' said Burns. 'But all I know is the next week that tenant appeared.' Unless you're on a reality TV show or are an actual billionaire, you can't redecorate a 3-bedroom house in a week. But you could arrange accessories on a mantel or plan a gallery wall in a powder room. Assign yourself short, focused 30- to 45-minute styling sessions a few times a week, advises Naiman. The feel-good boost of dopamine you'll get from completing them will help see you through thornier tasks. When a renovation goes wrong, it can be hard to remember your original goal: to make your house a place of pleasure. As a simple step toward reclaiming that purpose, says Naiman, tap back into sensual joys—invest in plush carpet underfoot or upgrade everyday pieces like clocks and coffee mugs with versions that channel the 'future' energy you want to embrace. Chitnis has found that filling her home with blooms from the wildflower garden she and her children planted helps offset some of the 'burning rage' she still feels for her contractor. 'It's a way of bringing joy back to the house.' After a painful renovation, I asked 'house therapist' Olga Naiman to help get my decor back on track. Here, how we healed a room in five targeted, budget-conscious moves. 1. Post-construction, I painted every wall in my house white, intending to add color 'later.' But three years on, later still hadn't come—and the blank surfaces just reminded me of everything I'd left unfinished. To dislodge my paint paralysis, Naiman suggested I find inspiration in one of the few things I had picked—a riotous turquoise-and-indigo wallpaper in the adjacent dining room. The watery shade I pulled out (Borrowed Light by Farrow & Ball) unified the spaces and added satisfying polish. 2. I aspire to the 'collected' look, but a combination of impulsive Facebook Marketplace purchases and tattered furniture from our old home merely looked incoherent. 'Clutter is just stagnant energy in physical form,' Naiman said. To purge the room's chaotic vibes and foster a sense of balance, she pressed me to sell my mismatched chairs and exchange them for a set of pared-back love seats. I got lucky and scored the vintage Mortensen-style sofas affordably at an auction. 3. Investing in sturdy 'anchor' pieces can help you feel settled in a place where you're still unmoored, says Naiman. But an investment doesn't have to be only financial or extravagant: Committing time and effort also matters. I took a day off work to drive a van alone for seven hours to pick up a pair of lacquered Dorothy Draper-style Espana chests I'd found out of state—for a 10th of what they'd typically cost. Bingo: instant gravitas. 4. Naiman points out that brands constantly use iconography to direct our attention and communicate meaning—and we can do the same with symbols at home. I kept that in mind when choosing a pair of prints from Block Shop in Los Angeles for a prominent wall. The 'sailor's knot' motif they depict represents strength and resilience. 5. One of the first things Naiman noted was the undignified way my family had crammed our beloved piano against a wall. To give the instrument proper pride of place—and pianists a more pleasant, expansive vista—she proposed floating it in the middle of the space like a sofa table. I was skeptical at first, but now the piano feels like the room's creative command center.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tomato Recall Escalates to Highest Health Risk Alert—Here's What You Need to Know
Last month's recall of fresh tomatoes sold by Williams Farms Repack, LLC or H&C Farms has now been labeled as deadly. The FDA recently upgraded the recall to its most severe status—a Class 1 recall, which means the FDA believes "there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death." The tomatoes, which were distributed between April 23 and April 28, 2025, in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, were contaminated with salmonella, a bacteria that can cause digestive issues like nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps—but in some cases, it can progress and become a life-threatening illness. The young, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of developing a deadly infection. These fresh tomatoes are no longer on the market, but could have been frozen, dried, or otherwise preserved—and so you may still have them in your freezer or pantry. Related: Are Food Recalls Really on the Rise? A Food Microbiologist Weighs In The products impacted were: Williams Farms Repack, LLC tomatoes 4x5, 2-layer pack, with a lot code of R4467 60-count, 2-layer pack, with a lot code of R4467 3-count trays with the UPC code 0 33383 65504 8 and lot code R4467 H&C Farms Tomatoes 5x6, 25-pound boxes with lot code R4467 6x6, 25-pound boxes with lot codes R4467 or R4470 Tomatoes from H&C Farms or Williams Farms Repack, LLC in the following sizes: Combo 25-pound pack 4x4 2-layer pack 60-count 18-pound loose tomatoes XL 18-pound loose tomatoes If you purchased and stored tomatoes during this timeframe in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, you should not eat them. You can return them to the point of purchase for a refund, or contact Jason Breland at 843-866-7707 or 843-599-5154 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST for more information about the recall. Read the original article on Real Simple
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Whoopi Goldberg ditches the bra: 50 years of comfort over conformity
Whoopi Goldberg shared that it has been over 50 years since she has worn a bra. Image: X US actress Whoopi Goldberg shockingly revealed that she hasn't worn a bra in over 50 years. The 69-year-old made this revelation on one of the episodes of 'The View' on May 20 when she and her co-hosts, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah, were conversing about 'Underwear Do's and Don'ts". While they were debating about the easiest ways to put on a bra, Goldberg was quiet until Hostin asked her which method she uses to put on a bra. She revealed, 'I don't wear one. I have not worn a bra in 50 years.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'It's too uncomfortable, and I don't mind if they hit the floor. They are mine,' she added. Her co-host, Hostin, also chimed in and said that bras are torture devices. BEST WAY TO PUT ON A BRA? The co-hosts weigh in after two of the stars of 'The Real Housewives of Potomac' debated the right way to put on a bra on their podcast 'Reasonably Shady.' — The View (@TheView) May 20, 2025 While Behar added that she left like letting her boobs loose as bras are uncomfortable. 'You know what I feel like doing right now? I feel like letting these girls loose,' Behar joked. It's a known fact that women wear bras because their breasts need support. And as much as this is considered an everyday undergarment, sometimes it can get a little uncomfortable and overwhelming. Which is why some women like Goldberg prefer comfort, choosing a no-bra option. However, as much as not wearing a bra might feel comfortable there are disadvantages as well as advantages that come along with that decision. Advantages of not wearing a bra: According to an article by Ria Bhagwat on the 'Real Simple' website, there are benefits of not wearing a bra which includes refining your muscle tone and improving your skin's health. 'Not wearing a bra forces the muscles in your chest and back to work harder to support your breasts, and this engagement may lead to improved muscle tone over time,' they wrote. They added: 'Going braless, even for short periods, can help prevent painful chafing and rubbing along the shoulders, rib and back." Disadvantages of not wearing a bra: Not wearing a bra will eventually lead to your breasts sagging or even back problems. Several years of not wearing a bra will lead to your breasts sagging, especially if you have bigger breasts.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Skip the instant oatmeal, cuddle at night and don't make this BBQ mistake — plus 8 more tips to improve your health
Hello, health and wellness enthusiasts! My name is Kaitlin Reilly, and I am here to share tips from around the internet that can help you live your best life. Get sticker shock every time you hit the grocery store these days? You're not alone, according to a recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll. This week, Yahoo spoke to moms who feed their large families on a budget — and some are getting very creative. While installing your own restaurant-quality salad bar (like one mom did) may be out of reach, there are lots of cost-cutting secrets you can learn from them, like: shopping in bulk at warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club, strategic meal planning (including snack planning!) and skipping prepackaged convenience items. Another hack to consider? Start your own veggie garden. With a little time in the dirt, you'll have fresh produce for a fraction of what it would cost to purchase at the store. And there's even evidence to show that gardening is good for your health — a win-win. Peek at the local weather forecast and look at your horoscope if you're so inclined. Then see what small steps you can take to make the week ahead awesome. There's a lot to like about oatmeal: It's hearty, and also packed with fiber, B vitamins and minerals. But we get it — when you're short on time in the morning, grabbing a packet of instant oats that you can quickly whip up makes a lot of sense. As Real Simple reports, however, instant oatmeal typically includes loads of added sugars and less of the nutrients you'll find in whole oats. 'This breakfast will likely be quickly absorbed and digested, and lead to some short-term energy, but leave you feeling hungry just an hour or two later,' dietitian Amy Davis tells the outlet. Want to save time in the morning and get all that good stuff? Consider prepping some overnight oats the night before. Jazz up a scoop of rolled oats with some milk and top it with fruit like blueberries or raspberries for extra fiber and vitamins. A scoop of protein powder or Greek yogurt mixed in ups the protein content and keeps you feeling full for longer. Or, add seeds or nut butter, which contain healthy fats. Cuddling up to your partner while sleeping can help lower stress and strengthen your bond, according to new research from Auburn University. The study, which looked at 143 heterosexual couples, found that more snuggled up sleeping positions — think spooning, sleeping intertwined or even just face-to-face connection before dozing off — led to these benefits. But researchers also noted that being up close and personal doesn't necessarily translate to a good night's sleep (just ask anyone who runs hot or likes their space), in which case you might just want to settle for a quick hug before you nod off ... on your side of the bed. Hot dogs and hamburgers are warm-weather staples, but if you're firing up the grill for Memorial Day, don't clean it with a wire brush. Why? It turns out those metal bristles can break off and get into the food you're cooking, which is a major health risk. Not only can consuming one potentially harm your mouth and throat, but swallowing a bristle could cause a serious emergency. Data published in the journal Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery found that 1,700 people visited the emergency room due to wire grill brush injuries from 2002 to 2014. Trust us: A punctured stomach or intestine is not how you want to end a three-day weekend. While it's still important to clean your grill (you'll help prevent food buildup and reduce the risk of flare-ups, another potential hazard), you should opt for a non-wire brush instead. Taking a trip this Memorial Day? It may not be at the top of your packing list, but a pillowcase can come in handy when you're traveling. It's got a ton of uses: You can stuff a hoodie inside of it for a makeshift travel pillow, use it as a laundry bag or even have it double as a packing cube to keep your suitcase organized. One thing you might want to avoid, however, is the viral social media hack of trying to sneak it on your flight as a carry-on stuffed with clothes. While most airlines don't consider pillows part of your luggage, flight attendants are catching on and you could end up having to pay a fee. The Friday before Memorial Day is National Don't Fry Day, created by the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention as a reminder to stay safe while spending time in the sun. Honor the holiday by wearing your sunscreen — yes, even if it's cloudy outside. Protective clothing, like rash guards that block UV rays or wide-brimmed hats, is also a great idea when enjoying time outside. And don't forget your sunglasses, which are more than just for the vibes: Pick sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection, block both UVA and UVB rays and are labeled 400nm or UV400 for full coverage. Love making pepperoni pizza at home but struggle with the oil that comes with those little discs of flavor? To cut down on grease, precook your pepperoni before adding it to your pizza. Lay the slices in a single layer on a paper-towel-lined plate and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, which renders the fat. Then, blot the tops with another paper towel before transferring to your pizza. This step reduces excess oil and helps the pepperoni crisp up for a way better mouthfeel, minus the grease puddles. You know that nuts are good for you, but did you know that almonds can keep you regular in the bathroom? According to the experts over at EatingWell, this nut has a few things going for it: It's rich in magnesium, which helps relax the muscles in your digestive tract, and it has lots of fiber — about 3.5 grams per ounce — which adds bulk to your stool. Plus, almonds contain healthy fats, which help alleviate constipation. Eat almonds as a solo snack, mix them into trail mix or top your yogurt, salads or grain bowls with them for a digestive boost. Want to boost your mood? Try positive expressive writing — like jotting down what you're grateful for or imagining your best possible future. A systematic review published in PLOS One found these writing exercises consistently improve well-being, happiness and life satisfaction. The strongest benefits came from gratitude and 'best possible self' prompts, though the researchers believe the results may vary depending on the person. Try it out: Start a gratitude list, send a thank-you note to a loved one or write a letter to the best version of your future self. Taking a breather before you blurt out your next sentence can save your relationship during times of conflict, couples therapist Sinead Smyth tells Today. 'Don't fire off when you're in conflict,' Smyth says. 'Take a break, even if it's just a few seconds, and make a decision about whether it should be said or not and how you're going to say it.' Smyth suggests giving yourself a pause to find something positive you can respond with, rather than a snappy retort that, while maybe even technically right, could hurt your partner. Why is this such a big deal? Well, chances are this isn't the first (or last) time you'll argue about the same issue; many long-term couples revisit the same core conflicts over time. And if you respond with criticism in the heat of the moment, that pattern can build resentment and chip away at the relationship. Choosing your words carefully, even if it means pausing to bite your tongue, protects the connection you've built and makes space for more constructive communication. Forget cutting carbs — staying sharp in your 70s starts with adding high-quality ones to your plate, according to a study from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Per the research, women who ate more fiber and high-quality carbs — like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes — had a 31% greater chance of aging in good physical and mental health. That meant they lived to age 70 free of 11 major chronic diseases (including cancer, diabetes, stroke, arthritis and osteoporosis), had no memory or physical impairment and were in good mental health. An easy way to start? Instead of grabbing a candy bar as a midday snack, grab a banana. Not only will you get high-quality carbs and good-for-you fiber, but you'll also get a healthy boost of vitamins C and B6 as well as potassium. Wake up wanting to hit the snooze button? Break that bad habit by keeping a big glass of water next to your bed to sip on when you open your eyes. Experts tell EatingWell that hydrating first thing can help you stay energized, rather than groggy, in the morning. 'When we're tired, we're more likely to be dehydrated, and our cells need a little extra help so they can do all the jobs they have to do to take care of us,' dietitian Jessica Cording tells the outlet. Sipping water before your morning coffee can also help offset caffeine's diuretic effect and prevent you from feeling thirsty later on.
