In this article: Health Smart Diabetes House Smart Save on heating Travel Smart If my airline goes bankrupt? Eat Smart Recipe: Pack in the antioxidents Contact a columnist

THINK SMART Helpful tips for your everyday life

Monitoring diabetes

For people with diabetes, whether you are controlling your sugar by oral medication, insulin, lifestyle changes or a combination of all three, monitoring your blood sugar readings allows you to stay on top of the situation. Although it's not practical for everyone to check his or her sugar repeatedly throughout the day, I ask my patients to try to keep a schedule.

By following a routine for several weeks, patients often find that a pattern develops. Many find that their sugars are always low or high during certain times of the day. Perhaps the medicine is being taken at the wrong time of day, or perhaps the patient needs an additional snack.

I also encourage my patients to check their blood sugar anytime they feel "funny" to make sure it's not due to an acute rise or drop in their sugar. I also ask them to periodically check their blood sugar after exercise, because a single workout can drop sugar levels significantly. For patients who are skeptical about the benefits of exercise, it's very helpful for them to see how much it can improve their blood sugar.

Diabetics also need to keep a close eye on their blood pressure. The combination of high blood pressure and diabetes is problematic for the cardiovascular system. Those with diabetes should try for readings consistently less than 120/80, which is below the level considered normal for non-diabetics. If your readings are not at that level, talk to your doctor.

Tedd Mitchell, M.D., is medical director of the Wellness Program at the Cooper Clinic and a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

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Save on heating costs

It's easy: Install a programmable thermostat. By manipulating your home's temperature while you're at work or snug under the covers, you can save up to 15%. For each degree you lower the heat, you save more on your heating bill, the U.S. Energy Department says. (Don't swing it more than 6 to 8 degrees; that makes the furnace work too long to get your home back to the desired comfort zone.)

Installing a programmable thermostat is simple: The low-voltage electrical wires that come from the wall tend to be color-coded to match up with the letters on the back of the unit. Match the white wire with the "W" and so on.

Now you're set: Hang the unit back on the wall and start saving.

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Pack in antioxidants

The ultimate in simplicity and refreshing taste, this coleslaw is flecked with green, red and yellow vegetables, the colors signifying the presence of antioxidants (cabbage is thought to have anti-cancer activity). I like its crispy, sweet-and-sour taste, unlike that of a creamy coleslaw.

Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw

4 cups chopped or shredded cabbage
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 cup cooked corn kernels
1/2 cup rice vinegar or other white vinegar
1/3 cup Splenda no-calorie sweetener (or substitute sugar)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: 1 Tb. finely minced jalapeño pepper, seeds and veins removed
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Toss all ingredients together. Serves 8.

Per serving: 37 calories, 1g protein, 0g fat, 9g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 12mg sodium.

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What if my airline goes bankrupt?

Times are tough for the airline industry. Several major carriers -- including United Airlines and US Airways -- have filed for bankruptcy protection in the past two years. Although that doesn't necessarily mean the airlines will discontinue service, travelers should take precautions.

"The best protection passengers can have is to buy their ticket with a credit card," says Bill Mosley of the U.S. Department of Transportation. If an airline shuts down before you use the ticket, your credit card will cover the charge. Caveat: Card issuers can deny claims made more than 60 days after you get your statement. Trip cancellation insurance is another option, but most insurers won't cover tickets on airlines in bankruptcy.

Frequent-flier miles may become useless when an airline dissolves, so use your accumulated miles as soon as possible and consider flying on a partner airline.

Note: Rebooking your trip with another carrier at the last minute can be a challenge. A law implemented after 9/11 requires airlines to honor tickets from a defunct airline if they fly the same route; passengers can pay up to $25 each way to fly standby. But this is not a guarantee, and the law is set to expire in November. It's safest to choose an airline that's on more solid financial ground.