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Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2555 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 OF NUTRITION Doctor’s Orders: Know How To “Work”Your Cold (NAPSA)—The annual cough and cold season and an uncertain economy have people more concerned than ever about taking sick days. However, the economic cost of lost productivity due to the common cold approaches $25 billion, of which $16.6 billion is attributed to on-the-job productivity loss, according to the Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine. Considering how quickly and easily cold viruses can spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people who are feeling sick should stay home to contain their illness. Although it may not shorten the length of your cold, rest, fluids and overthe-counter (OTC) products may help you feel better. Furthermore, by staying home you will eliminate the risk of spreading illness to your colleagues. Stay Home if You Are Sick. If you feel unwell with cold symptoms (cough, chest congestion or sinus pressure), stay home to prevent the spread of illness-causing germs. If you need to work, talk to your manager about work-fromhome options and schedule conference calls instead of face-to-face meetings. Don’t Self-Diagnose. Symptoms of the common cold usually begin two to three days after infection. Consult your health care provider to determine whether your symptoms indicate that you have a viral and/or bacterial infection. Talk to your physician about the best options for symptom relief at the onset of your illness. Seek Symptom Relief. You can’t cure or shorten the length of a common cold, but you can seek symptom relief to make your cold more manageable while it runs its Don’t take germs to work. If you’re feeling sick, stay home and take your medicine. course. The buildup of excess mucus is a cause of symptoms associated with the common cold. Consult with your health care provider to learn more about OTC products such as Mucinex, Mucinex DM and Mucinex D that help provide temporary relief of chest congestion, cough, and sinus pressure, respectively, for 12 hours by breaking up the excess mucus. Always use OTC products as directed. Practice Healthy Hygiene. According to the CDC, hand washing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of illness-causing germs. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water and then dry them with a clean, dry towel. If soap and water are unavailable, use a hand sanitizer. Furthermore, you can help prevent the transmission of germs and the onset of illness by covering your cough or sneeze with the crook of your elbow, keeping your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth and routinely disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. For more information about symptom relief, visit www. Mucinex.com. Join Kids To Save Energy (NAPSA)—A key way to save money is to save energy at home. To help, youngsters are showing their communities how to make energy-efficient changes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR program and Boys & Girls Clubs of America educate and activate their neighbors to be more energy efficient at home. Simple steps such as changing to E N E R G Y S TAR –qualified lights or sealing air leaks around doors and windows can save energy. They also save money and reduce greenU.S. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. With your help, America’s youth can save money, save energy and help fight global warming. house gas emissions, which helps fight global warming. You don’t have to be a kid to spread the word about energy efficiency. Talk to your family and friends about it. Take the EPA’s Change the World, Start with E NERGY S TAR Pledge and commit to reducing your energy use. If every American household took part in the pledge, we would save more than $18 billion in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more t h a n 1 8 m i l l i o n cars. Visit www.energystar.gov/changethewo rld for ideas and information. Stay Healthy With Brown Rice (NAPSA)—The next time you’re looking for a healthy and affordable ingredient, think rice. Brown rice, more specifically, is a versatile and inexpensive anchor for any meal and provides numerous health advantages to go along with its more flavorful qualities. In general, all kinds of rice are complex carbohydrates free of trans-fat, sodium and gluten. In addition, brown rice is a 100 percent whole-grain product. Research has shown diets rich in whole grains reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and type 2 diabetes. Brown rice also contains plenty of fiber, an important nutritional source and good tool for dieters. Foods rich with fiber are more filling and may decrease the likelihood of overeating. Health benefits aside, brown rice boasts a variety that is convenient and tastes great. With its nutty flavor and satisfying texture, natural brown rice provides whole-grain goodness any time of the day. Products such as Success Brown Rice let you get the nutritional value of brown rice in 10 minutes, one-fourth the time of the long-cooking variety. It is the original no-measure, no-mess boilin-bag rice. That feature also eliminates any potential cooking mistakes and it can even stay in the water up to 30 minutes after it cooks and still be excellent. Brown rice can be versatile, easy to make and good for you. For those who want to make even more of brown rice, here are a few “stir-in” suggestions: • Citrus Rice—To hot, cooked brown rice, add grated orange, lemon or lime zest for a fresh lively taste. • Coconut Rice—While cooking brown rice, substitute light coconut milk for one cup of water. After the rice is done, stir in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. • Slightly Mexican—To hot, cooked brown rice, add diced tomatoes, green onions, Monterey Jack cheese and cilantro. Alternatively, instead of tomatoes, try your favorite salsa. • Portobello Mushroom Rice—To hot, cooked brown rice, add sauted chopped portobello mushrooms and toasted chopped pecans. Top with crumbled feta cheese. You can find more tips, nutritional information and brown rice recipes at www.successrice.com or (800) 226-9522.