J & K in the Morning: Life Style

Spring is just around the corner and you know what that means? Allergies!

For milder cases, home remedies may provide all the relief you need, with relatively little expense or hassle

1. Neti pots are a mainstream remedy for allergies and stuffed-up sinuses.

It involves rinsing your nasal cavity with a saline solution, flushes out allergens and loosens mucus.

2. Eating honey produced by bees in your region can help relieve allergies.

The bees transfer pollen from flowers to honey

so if you eat a little honey every day you'll gradually become immune to the effects of pollen.

3. A quick rinse after spending time outdoors can help remove allergens from your skin and hair

it also prevents them from spreading to clothes, furniture, pillowcases, and other surfaces

4. eucalyptus oil can help open up your sinuses and nasal passages further.

the essential oil, extracted from the leaves of the eucalyptus tree, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties

5. Foods with a kick can definitely start your eyes watering and open your nasal passages

chili peppers, wasabi, Dijon mustard, fresh garlic, and horseradish

8 daily habits you should break right now

Some of the things you do—or don’t do—every day might be sabotaging your efforts to be healthier

1. Not Drinking Enough Water

men need about 13 cups per day of fluid; adult women need about 9

the best way to know if you’re adequately hydrated is to monitor your urine color

if it’s light yellow (the color of lemonade), that means you’re drinking enough

2. Eating Late at Night

late-night meals can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep

3. Not Getting Enough Exercise

exercising regularly can help you lose weight and boost your energy

It may help you live longer keeps your heart healthy, lowers your risk of some types of chronic disease, improves blood flow to your brain, keeping you sharp; and helps with blood sugar control

4. Not Getting Enough Sleep

Being sleep-deprived may fuel depression and make it harder for you to lose weight

5. Eating Too Much Sodium

cut out half the salt- lower the risk of heart disease by up to 9 percent

cook at home using fresh ingredients

Restaurant foods and processed foods both tend to be very high in sodium

6. Eating Lunch at Your Desk

you’ll feel more satisfied if you turn your attention toward your meal

people who ate lunch without distractions felt fuller 30 minutes after eating, and ate less when they snacked later

7. Cooking Everything in Olive Oil

When you heat olive oil to its smoke point, all of the healthy content break down into a health-harming form

8. Skipping Dessert

But studies suggest that feeling deprived can trigger overeating

So if you want a treat, eat it!

Here are 4 Foods that Aren't as Healthy as You Think and How to Make Them Better

1. Non-fat ice cream: When dairy products zap out the fat, they often add in sugar and the calorie count can still stay high (one cup of fat-free vanilla ice cream can be as much as 340 calories and 42g of sugar). Plus, a little fat isn't a bad thing--it actually helps your belly feel full. Without that fat, it's easier to keep eating and eating.

To make it healthier: Stick to brands with real ingredients, like milk, sugar, and cream, but limit yourself to half a cup (about the size of half a tennis ball), and top it with berries and in-season fruits.

2) Granola: You're smart, and probably already know that granola can be super-crazy loaded with sugar and fat. One cup can have up to 600 calories! It can be easy to forget, since you so often see it on health-food shelves and in bulk bins.

To make it healthier: Find a variety that doesn't have sugar in the top three ingredients listed--or make your own, so you can control how much sugar goes in. And pay attention to portion sizes. Have just a few tablespoons as a snack, or 1/4 cup if you're making it a meal.

3) Dried fruit: It's fruit, just dried out...should totally be healthy! But it's not always. Some brands add sugar and syrups during the drying process to up the sweet factor, especially to things such as cranberries, which can be super-tart.

To make it healthier: Buy brands that don't have added sugar or high fructose corn syrup listed in the labels--or just cut up fresh fruit and do it yourself!

4) Microwave popcorn: Popcorn is an excellent snack. It’s filling, tasty, and contains a good amount of fiber. But the bags you put in the microwave can be salt bombs, which also have lots of stuff like artificial butter and coloring.

To make it healthier: Pop your own on the stovetop, old-fashioned style. It's easy and you can control the amount of oil and salt. It also can save you money. It’s a win win!

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Stuffed Pizza Rolls