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 #2470 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 Olympian Offers “Gold Medal” Health Tips And Recipes (NAPSA)—Four-time Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans is no stranger to nutrition and fitness. She’s been swimming since she was two years old and is one of the greatest swimmers in U.S. history. Now a mother, Evans is dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle for the whole family. She offers “gold medal” tips and recipes to help you be the champion of your kitchen and health. Eat Smart • Think of your heart when you go grocery shopping, choosing whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables. Use a cooking oil that is low in saturated fat, such as canola oil. • Read labels and nutritional information. Consume reasonable portion sizes and note serving sizes on food labels. Be Active • Swim, bike, run, whatever you enjoy. Vary your activities and add strength training to your routine. Set small goals each week to improve performance. • Explore other activities that improve strength and flexibility, such as yoga or Pilates. Work exercise into your everyday schedule, such as walking to work. Live Well • If you smoke, quit. If your loved ones smoke, encourage them to break the habit. • Get plenty of sleep, seek balance in your life, and try not to stress about things you can’t control. This taco salad is Evans’ signature dish. Using canola oil in the dressing makes it low in saturated fat and trans fat-free and allows the savory and sweet flavors to shine through. Taco Salad With Homemade Pita Wedges Dressing: 1 cup canola oil 1 ⁄4 cup white vinegar 2 Tbsp lime juice 1 garlic clove, minced Repainting Your Home ⁄4 2 2 1 ⁄2 1 ⁄8 1 tsp dry mustard Tbsp sweet pickle relish Tbsp ketchup tsp salt tsp pepper Salad: 1 head romaine lettuce, washed and torn 1 (15-oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 ⁄2 cup low-fat cheddar cheese 1 ⁄4 cup red onion, sliced 1 tomato, diced 2 small whole wheat pitas, split in half and quartered In a bowl, whisk together canola oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, mustard, relish, ketchup, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. Dressing will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Heat oven to 350 F. Brush each pita quarter with 1⁄2 tsp of dressing. Place on baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until crisp. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, beans, cheese, onion and tomato. Divide salad into 8 servings. Add 2 Tbsp dressing to each serving and toss. Serve with baked pita wedges. Serves 6-8. For more recipes and information, go to www.canolainfo.org. (NAPSA)—The exterior of your home is the first impression you give the outside world and a good paint job is critical to your home’s appearance. Ed Waller, co-founder of Certa Pro Painters, offers these easy-tofollow tips to make painting the exterior of your home easier: • First, evaluate the condition of your house. Look for bare wood, metal or masonry surfaces. That’s where the paint is worn and you Exterior of a home painted by CertaPro Painters. need a new coat. You might have other problems, such as moisture, that a professional painter should assess for you. • Use a cleaning solution to remove dirt on siding. Scrub well and rinse thoroughly. • Prepare your house well if you are repainting it. Some loose paint is obvious, but some is hard to find by just looking at it. • Buy the best paint possible for the exterior of a house. The same goes for brushes and rollers. • Be sure to paint in the shade on a bright day. Painting in the sun can cause the paint to dry too fast and blister. • Brush first, then roll. Paint the trim last. Learn more at www.certapro. com. Psoriasis: What Everyone Should Know (NAPSA)—There’s encouraging news for the more than 6.5 million Americans who suffer from the chronic skin condition known as psoriasis: A comfortable, convenient and easy-to-use new form of topical medication has been shown to relieve many of the symptoms associated with the disease. What Is Psoriasis? Psoriasis is a chronic, immunemediated condition that manifests in the skin and/or the joints. In plaque psoriasis, the most common type, patches of skin called “lesions” become inflamed and covered by silvery white scales. The severity of psoriasis can vary from person to person; however, for most people, psoriasis tends to be mild. Psoriasis is not just a physical condition; it has an emotional impact as well. “For those who live with it, psoriasis can be a life-altering disease,” said dermatologist and psychologist Richard Fried, M.D. “The physical discomfort and embarrassment often impact patients’ self-esteem and influence daily activities.” No one knows exactly what causes psoriasis, but it is believed to have a genetic component. Most researchers agree that the immune system is somehow mistakenly triggered, which speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. For most people, psoriasis has a significant and unfavorable impact on quality of life. Recent studies indicate: • Nearly 60 percent of patients said their disease is a large problem in their everyday life. • Psoriasis has a greater impact on quality of life in women and younger patients. Doctors say psoriasis doesn’t have to lower a person’s selfesteem. Fortunately, topical medication can alleviate symptoms. “Finding the right treatment option can be a challenge for people with psoriasis,” explained Dr. Fried. “The key to getting patients to stick with their p s o riasis treatment is to find something that is effective yet easy to use and convenient.” Treating The Condition Many psoriasis patients—most of them with a mild form of the disease—have a low level of satisfaction with their treatment options. These include topical treatments, light therapy and oral medications. Fortunately, there’s a unique new medication—available from doctors but without a prescription—that may help patients find relief. Called Psorent, this innovative product is a clinically proven and specially formulated topical solution to help relieve the symptoms of psoriasis such as itching, scaling, flaking, redness and irritation. The steroid-free formulation is fast drying and applies easily with a convenient, no-mess applicator. To learn more, call (800) 6289904 or visit www.psorent.com.
