Five times more popular than jogging, walking is America’s favorite form of exercise for good reason: You can lift your mood and burn a substantial 176 calories per hour at a comfortable pace! Plus, taking in fresh air and interesting scenery is great for your brain, helping to stave off boredom and depression.

Burn an extra 75 calories per hour with these easy tips:

-SLOW DOWN!
Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder say that walking at 2mph actually burns more calories than going faster! Slowing down stops momentum, making your muscles work harder each step of the way.

-Step outside in the morning.
Studies shows it improves alertness for hours afterward. Plus, cooler temperatures make it easier to stay out longer and burn more calories along the way!

-Walk with a friend!
Exercising with a buddy inspired you to get going in the first place, helps you exercise longer once you’re out there and improves your self-image by giving you a goal to share with someone you admire.

-Go downhill!
You won’t feel as winded and you’ll burn extra calories because going downhill requires your muscles to work harder to maintain a moderate pace.

Note from Ang: Check out Ava.org for a list of 500 walking clubs nationwide!

My hair is curly—although most people haven’t EVER seen it this way. It’s also wirey/fine, which makes it much easier to straighten than if it was thick&coarse. But it also reverts right back to bouncy little ringlets as soon as humidity reaches about 50 percent. And if I add just a spot too much straightening serum, it ends up just looking greasy.

But I need my hair to look sleek ALL the time.

My in-laws live in Hawaii, and we visit them often. The stress was making me insane: How could I ever feel put-together in climate fit for a rain-forest terrarium? I armed myself with an arsenal of mini shampoos, deep conditioners, silkifiers, and hairsprays of every sort, but in the end, the humidity always won.

Instead, I’ve discovered the wonderful world of headbands! My favorite is the L. Erickson USA 1/4″ Double Skinny Ultra Comfort Headband - Silk Dupioni: simple, modern,preppy, daughter-in-law-status!

If you’re looking for something a little more cost effective, I’ve also had great success with the L. Erickson Cutout Ovals Comfort Headwrap. These are a lot less pricey, and AMAZINGLY comfortable.

This is the first installment of Ask Angela! In this section, I will be answering questions submitted by YOU (the viewer). Well, let’s cut the small talk and get right into it, shall we?

Long-Lasting Blooms

Q: What is the best way to prolong daffodil blossoms?

A: In general, these spring flowers last longer on the plant than in a vase. The weather however, can effect their longevity. Whereas cool, cloudy days help preserve the blooms for up to three weeks, one hot, sunny afteroon may cause them to fade overnight.

To prevent the weather from curtailing bloom time, cut the flowers and use them for indoor arrangements. Daffodils harvested when the buds are tightly closed and still green will keep well in a vase for up to ten days. Before arranging them, let the stems drain in tepid water. The freshly cut ends emit a toxic sap that may shorten their life and poison other flowers in the arrangement. Change the daffodil’s water every few minutes until the thick, clear sap no longer appears, at which point they are safe to combine with other blossoms.

Engineered Food

Q: How can i tell whether produce has been genetically engineered?

A: Genetic engineering is a broad term that refers to transplanting genes responsiver for a desired trait from one plant or organism to another. One common example is genetically modified organisms, known as GMOs.

There is some uncertainty regarding the safety of genetically altered crops. Although foods can be engineered to improve nutritional content and increase pest resistance, doing so raises enviromental and health issues. In Europe, all GMOs are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Some are banned as a result, and those that are approved, are labeled accordingly. In the US, where it’s not mandatory to identify genetically modified ingredients, GMOs are prevalant in packaged products, especially those soy, corn and wheat.

Genetically altered fruits and vegetable are rare, so you probably won’t find them at your market. To avoid them entirely, buy foods labeled “organic”, which cannot be bioengineered, or simply check your produce. According to the Produce Marketing Association, price lookup codes (PLU)- the number on stickers individually affixed to fruits and vegetables- can be used to identify the origin of produce. The standard PLU code is four digits, though some stickers feature a fifth digit that preceded the others. An 8 indicates that the fruit of vegetable was genetically engineered, while a 9 means the food is organic.

-A

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