Issue Date: December 11, 2005
Budget strategies for a ski vacation
Here are some tips to reduce the cost of a ski or snowboarding trip:
Go after Christmas. Ski resort prices dip during January, before school vacations hit. Rates begin to slide again in late March and April. "We charge $95 a night for a lift ticket and lodging starting in early April," says Laura Schaffer, of Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort in Utah. "In midwinter, it would run you $175 to $200."
Before you hit the slopes, buy multiday lift tickets. A single-day lift ticket at Telluride is $76, but if you purchase a four-day ticket online, it's $274, or $68.50 per day for adults. Once you're at the resort, try to use shuttle buses instead of a rental car. And if you're traveling with at least four people, think about renting a condo, which can save you about 20% over hotel rooms.
Use a ski tour operator for a package that bundles airfare, lodging and transfers. It's often the cheapest option.
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DVD tray ends clutter
If you're like me and don't have a chance to see movies at the megaplex, you wait a short time and then buy the movie on DVD. But as your collection grows, you need a place to store all those movies. The new DiscSox is compact, unlike those DVD towers that take up valuable floor space. The Pro tray holds about 75 DVDs in a 12-inch area. The optional plastic sleeves let you remove the box cover jacket from the original bulky package. You also can use tabs to separate the kids' movies from your westerns. The tray, 25 sleeves and five tab dividers cost about $45; for info, check out discsox.com.
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How to read fine print on cellphone plans
Shopping for a new cellphone plan? Now that you can keep your old phone number, making the switch is much more tempting. But pay attention to:
Trial periods. Dropped calls and and other problems happen with just about every major provider. But all four national carriers and many smaller ones allow a two-week to one-month test-drive where you can cancel without paying a huge termination fee. (Any activation fee may not be refunded.)
Overage charges. Exceeding your monthly call limit can cost you up to 45 cents a minute. So look for plans that charge reasonable rates for excess minutes, such as a "batch" of 100 minutes for $5. Or, get a plan with more monthly minutes, but make sure that you can carry over extra time from month to month.
Added fees. Your monthly bill can be much larger than expected, thanks to hard-to-decipher charges. Some are taxes and government fees, but many are add-ons from the carrier. Read the contract carefully before signing, and ask the rep about each charge so you'll get a good picture of the real costs.
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Fight colds and flu naturally
Here are five timely tactics from the lab:
Vitamin C: Regularly taking 1,000mg daily can cut colds short by a day, and you may suffer fewer symptoms, says Jane Higdon, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. Some evidence says C can't prevent colds, but new Japanese research says downing 500mg daily cut the odds of getting three or more colds in a five-year period by 66%. Taking megadoses (1,000-2,000mg) at a cold's onset probably doesn't help, Higdon says, and there's no evidence Ester-C is better than less expensive forms.
Vitamin E: Older people who took 200 IU daily for a year had 20% fewer colds than placebo-takers, says Simin Meydani at Tufts University. The reason: E boosts immunity.
Zinc: Taking anti-viral zinc gluconate glycine lozenges (Cold-Eeze) within 24 hours of a cold's onset appears to cut its length and severity, says Darrell Hulisz, of Case Western Reserve University. One study found the lozenges cut colds in children from nine days to 7.5 days. Hulisz says zinc gluconate as a nasal gel also works. Caution: Long-term, high doses of zinc can be harmful.
Elderberry: Taking about a tablespoon of standardized extract or syrup of black elderberry (Sambucol) reduced flu symptoms by three to four days in Israeli studies. In test tubes, it fights 10 different strains of flu virus.
Echinacea: In new Canadian research, echinacea boosted immune response and ended colds sooner. Subjects took eight 5-milliliter doses of echinacea (Echinilin) the first day symptoms appeared; for the next six days they took three doses.
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Scientific sources for this article:
Vitamin C:
-- Personal communication with Jane Higdon, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University
-- S. Sasazuki, European J of Clincal Nutrition, advance online publication Aug. 24, 2005
-- Douglas RM. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2004 Oct 18(4): CD000980
Vitamin E:
-- Meydani, SN. JAMA 2004 Aug 18:292(7): 828-36
Zinc:
-- Hulisz D. J Am Pham Assoc. 2004 Sep-Oct; 44(5): 594-603
-- McElroy BH. Am J her 2002 Nov-Dec; 9(6): 472-5
Elderberry:
-- Zakay-Rones Z, J Int Med Res 2004 Mar-Apr; 32(2): 132-40
-- Barak V. Eur CytokineÐNetw 2001 Apr-Jun:12(2): 290-6
Echinacea:
-- Goel V. Phytother Res 2005 Aug:19(8): 689-94
-- Turner, RB. N. Engl J Med 2005; 353:341-348
-- interview with Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council
Contributing Editor Jean Carper, now heard on healthradionetwork.com, can be contacted at stopagingnow.com.
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Everyone: In the pool!
This winter, take the plunge. Swimming uses all major muscle groups and especially benefits those who are overweight, pregnant or have back problems. It burns more calories per hour than running or cycling and is one of the most injury-free sports.
"Swimming is great for any age, ability or health level. And swimming in a group can benefit everyone. It helps you improve and pushes you to challenge yourself," says Olympic gold medalist Rowdy Gaines.
Swimming also is a good family activity because everyone can participate. To practice and improve, look for club swimming for kids and masters programs for adults online at usaswimming.org, or check with your local YMCA. December and January are great times to start swimming: The pools aren't as full, and classes have more space.
Gaines recommends beginning with a lesson. An instructor can teach you the basics of all strokes and identify your strongest stroke. But first make sure you have the proper gear, including comfortable goggles and the right swimwear. Check out speedo.com or your local sporting goods store for advice on proper fit.
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