You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. 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 #2601 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Surprising Supplements Hearing Better May Mean Earning More (NAPSA)—People with untreated hearing loss may see their income decrease by as much as $30,000 a year, according to a national survey by the Better Hearing Institute. But hearing aids were shown to reduce the risk of income loss by 90 to 100 percent for those with milder hearing loss, and from 65 to 77 percent for those with severe to moderate hearing loss. Most of the more than 34 million Americans with hearing loss are either in the workforce or in school. The loss in income for people with untreated hearing problems, due to underemployment, is estimated at $176 billion, with the cost to society as high as $26 billion in unrealized federal taxes. Hearing is critical to effective communication in the workforce. The ability to hear and listen well enables employees to be more productive and understand the work that has been assigned. Poor communication can result in unhappy customers, missed deadlines, poor morale among co-workers and mistakes on the job. Effective hearing may also be critical to ensure safety on the job. In the study, those with unaided severe hearing loss had unemployment rates double that of the normal-hearing population, and nearly double that of their aided peers. (NAPSA)—From better skin to better brain function, there could be more benefits to a daily vitamin than you might expect. That’s the news from experts who say that fish oil, for instance, may fight free radicals linked to premature aging and possibly cut LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. A national study has shown that hearing aids can boost job performance and earning potential. “People are losing their hearing earlier and staying in the workforce longer,” says Sergei Kochkin, executive director of the Better Hearing Institute. “In today’s tough job market, hearing your best is essential for career success.” Hearing aids remain the optimum treatment for the vast majority of people with hearing loss. Yet only 40 percent of Americans with moderate to severe hearing loss, and only 9 percent of those with mild hearing loss, wear them. Half of all people with untreated hearing loss have never had their hearing professionally checked. To help, the Better Hearing Institute has a five-minute hearing test at www.hearing check.org. You can learn more about hearing loss and how to help it at www.betterhearing.org. Many well-known vitamins offer a host of surprising benefits. The Good Fat Omega-3 fatty acids are brainboosting, cholesterol-clearing monounsaturated good fats. They can help joints, skin, vision, brain and heart. Anti-inflammatory, they’re found naturally in walnuts, salmon, tuna, olive oil, avocados and in fish oil supplements. Fighting Cold and Flu Vitamin C may help reduce the length of a cold or flu. The vitamin is also necessary to form cartilage and collagen in bones, along with muscle and blood vessels. Get Energized B vitamins—and especially B12—have been called “energy vitamins.” They also support the immune and nervous systems and other important body functions. The Sunshine Vitamin Vitamin D helps bones, the brain and the immune system and might play a role in reducing the risk of diabetes, hypertension and cancer. Visit www.vitaminshoppe.com for more about supplements. Bringing Apple Pie To Sophisticated New Heights (NAPSA)—What’s more American than apple pie? It’s certainly one of the most prized culinary traditions in the U.S. Now you can turn the well-loved dessert on its head and surprise your friends and family with this apple recipe that brings a European flair to a favorite American dessert. The recipe features Lotus Bakeries’ Biscoff cookies, known as “Europe’s favorite cookie with coffee.” Created with all-natural ingredients and low in calories, the cookies provide a great way to reimagine America’s beloved apple pie. Biscoff Upside-Down Apple Torte (Serves 6 to 8) 8 Biscoff cookies (approximately 3⁄4 cup) 1 ⁄2 cup (1 stick) butter 3 small or 2 large apples, such as Jonagold, Gala or Fuji (about 1 pound) 2 large eggs 1 cup sugar, divided 3 ⁄4 cup self-rising flour (If self-rising flour is unavailable, use allpurpose flour plus 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt.) Vanilla ice cream (optional) Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch nonstick round cake pan or coat lightly with cooking spray; set aside. Finely crush cookies; set aside. Melt butter; set aside to cool. Peel and core apples; cut into thin slices and set aside. Beat together eggs and 1⁄2 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir in butter. Stir in flour and crushed cookies; mix well and set aside. A delicious dessert can be easy as pie when you start with a great cookie crust. Cook remaining 1⁄2 cup sugar in a small skillet over medium heat until completely melted and golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Immediately pour into prepared pan, tilting pan to evenly spread caramel. Arrange apples in concentric circles over hot caramel. Spread cookie mixture evenly over apples. Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown and center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Use a knife to loosen cake from edge of pan; invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream if desired. Made in Belgium, Biscoff tasty caramelized crisps zipped their way across the world more than 25 years ago when Delta Air Lines started serving them to its customers. High-flying passengers have enjoyed over 1.5 billion Biscoff cookies, which are also available at ground level in 8.8-oz. packages or individual .5-oz. twopacks at www.biscoff.com or through retailers nationwide.