Cooking means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Some people cook when they have to, some when they need to, and others because they love to. Whether you are just starting to dabble in the kitchen or a seasoned pro, these cookbooks belong in everyone’s kitchen collection:

Misleading food labels continue to dupe consumers with keywords and bold statements that feed into people’s dietary needs and weight loss goals. This doesn’t mean all food labels are lying because plenty of products are “fat free” or made with “real fruit,” but what about the other nutritional facts or ingredients? Unfortunately, the FDA does not regulate all food labels and cannot keep food manufacturers from using clever wording to avoid a potential lawsuit. What you can do is read the nutritional facts and ingredients list to find the truth behind the fancy wording and manipulative marketing. Here are 10 misleading food labels to look out for:

• “Zero grams trans fat”
  
  Since trans fat have become the ultimate no-no in today’s diet, many companies have cut trans fat from their products. However, it has led way to a manipulative marketing move to promote 0 grams of trans fat, without indicating the product’s level of saturated and total fat. Food labels know people are looking for the label that says “0 grams trans fat,” but they may skip over the saturated and total fat amount, which is just as important.
• “All natural”
  The “all natural” stamp is one of the most abused and misleading food labels used by food manufacturers today. Many of these so-called “all natural” products use citric acid, high-fructose corn syrup and other unnatural additives, but still get to bear that positive label. Always check the ingredients list to know exactly what’s in your food.
• “Whole grains”
  Chances are you’ve seen the label, “Made with Whole Grains,” pop up on bread, crackers or rice products now more than ever. The reality is that many of these whole grain products are actually made with refined wheat flour and maybe a small percentage of whole grains. In order to check the validity of the whole grains label, check out the listed ingredients. Unless “whole grains” is one of the first ingredients on the list or if you see “enriched wheat flour,” it’s likely that your product contains a small percentage of whole grains.
• “Fiber”
  Food products that contain fiber has become a growing trend in the food industry because consumers are looking for foods that are going to keep them fuller for longer, help regulate their digestive systems and lower their blood sugar. Shoppers might see their favorite cereal bar or yogurt is labeled “a good source of fiber,” but they won’t see where the fiber comes from listed anywhere. Many of the products you find with the label “contains fiber” actually contain isolated fibers, like inulin, maltodextrin, pectin, gum and other purified powders that are added to boost the not-so-fibrous foods.
• “Light”
  When a food label says “light” as in “extra light olive oil,” consumers are misled to think that a product is light in fat or the fat content has been cut in half. Unless the product says reduced fat, “light” is generally referring to a lighter color of the original product, such as light-colored olive oil.
• “Heart healthy”
  Many of today’s foods claim to be “heart healthy,” but don’t have FDA approval or scientific evidence to support such bold claims. These types of “heart healthy” labels mislead consumers into thinking they will improve their heart health by eating this particular food. Considering that heart disease is the number one killer in America, this food label is dangerous to promote if it’s not true.
• “Low fat”
  The label “low fat” can be very misleading to consumers because, while it may be low in fat, it may also be loaded with sugar or sodium that won’t be highlighted. In addition, manufacturers are playing into people’s awareness of fats and efforts to lower their fat intake by advertising exactly what they’re looking for. Don’t be fooled by a “low fat” food label without examining the rest of the nutrition facts, and making sure that the product is well-balanced and healthy in its other areas.
• “Low sugar”
  Just like “low fat” indicators, “low sugar” food labels are misleading for consumers because it plays up one nutritional factor to downplay a not-so-healthy factor, such as a high amount of calories, sugars or fat. Manufacturers also get around saying “contains sugar” by saying “lightly sweetened” or “no sugar added,” but you have to look at how much sugar is in each serving to know for sure.
• “Free range”
  The “free range” food label can be found on meat, dairy and eggs at your local grocery store, but this progressive way of farming is not always as it seems. What consumers may not know and won’t see on their “free range” foods is that the USDA regulations only apply to poultry. Therefore, “free range” beef, pork and other non-poultry animals were fed grass and allowed to live outdoors, but their products are not regulated by the USDA. Another misconception consumers have about “free range” is that these products are also organic. Unless it’s labeled free range AND organic, free range animals may be fed nonorganic fed that could contain animal byproducts and hormones.
• “Fresh”
  The “fresh” food label can be very misleading to consumers, by making them think their chicken was killed the day before, or their “freshly squeezed” orange juice was prepared that day. The label “fresh” simply means that it was not frozen or is uncooked, but many of these products are allowed to be chilled, kept on ice or in modified atmospheres to keep them from spoiling.

Despite being one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders and present in as many as one in 50 U.S. adults, obsessive-compulsive disorder tends to occupy a gray area in the public consciousness that’s marked more by myth than truth. Chalk it up to stereotypes or characters like Jack Nicholson’s in As Good as It Gets, but many people hold to a system of misconceptions about OCD that simply aren’t true. Those with the disease or who have a loved one with it know the truth, but for everyone else, here are the myths people believe and the truth behind them.

1. Any neat freak has OCD: OCD is a mental disorder. Period. It’s an anxiety disorder that leads those who have it to perform highly specific rituals as calming methods to fight they crushing anxiety. Being neat and orderly, even to the point of rigidity, doesn’t mean someone has OCD; it just means they like things clean. Someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder who keeps their house spotless isn’t doing it to look nice, but because they’re overwhelmed by anxiety when something is amiss. It’s a big difference, and one that’s often misunderstood.
2. OCD is just about cleaning: This one comes on the heels of the previous one, as many people assume that those with OCD are devoted to cleaning house. Yet that’s just one symptom, and far from the only way the disease manifests itself. Per the DSM-IV, compulsions can be a variey of things that the person in question does to reduce stress or prevent “some dreaded situation or event,” and these can include everything from praying to counting silently to repeating words. Yes, cleaning things can be one of these compulsions, but it’s not the only one.
3. People with OCD don’t have any willpower: This is a prevalent but insidious myth that paints people with obsessive-compulsive disorder as merely suffering from some kind of emotional weakness, as if their obsessions are something they could silence permanently if they’d only focus hard enough. As much as even people with OCD might wish this to be true, it isn’t. The disease is a mental one, and though many researchers are still targeting the specific cause, studies have shown that people with OCD have different patterns of brain activity than those without it.
4. People with OCD focus on one person or idea: People with OCD aren’t limited to the thoughts that can consume them, and in many cases these aren’t about a specific person or place. Rather, these intrusive and unwanted thoughts are often about horrible, unreal situations defined by violence or irrationality, such as the thought of injuring their child. People with PCD recognize the irrationality of these thoughts, but that doesn’t make them less real, or painful, or hard to talk about even with professionals. Obsessions can be incredibly varied.
5. OCD can be cured, and easily: There is no cure for obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, it is possible for many patients with OCD to gain control of the disease and enjoy a stellar prognosis. This requires, as you might expect, a ton of work. People with OCD typically need a combination of medicine and behavioral therapy in order to begin the process of modulating their thoughts to the point where they can successfully label and control them.
6. OCD affects more women than men: Some have observed that more women than men tend to suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, but those observations are anecdotal. In reality, the disease affects men and women in almost equal measure. Why the discrepancy between myth and truth? Because men typically have a harder time expressing deeper emotions than women do, and that reluctance is multiplied when some were asked to discuss the intrusive and often very dark thoughts that defined their obsessions.
7. OCD comes from stress: Again, if only wishing made it so, then people struggling with OCD could just take a few days off work and get back to “normal.” But that just isn’t the case. If you take away nothing else, remember than obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental one, not something brought on by a few hectic weeks at the office. It is true that major stressors can trigger symptoms, especially in traumatic situations like the death of a loved one. But the existence of stress can only ever exaggerate the OCD, not create it.
8. People with OCD were raised poorly: Parenting has nothing to do with contracting obsessive-compulsive disorder. Raising a child to follow certain rules does not cause the disorder. However, as with the myth about stress, the truth is complex. Parenting styles don’t cause OCD, but they can exacerbate it when parents go too far in accomodating OCD behaviors in a well-meaning but fruitless attempt to manage the child’s stress level. This can lead to a strengthening of symptoms and behaviors and make the disease that much harder to treat. Yet criticism and hostility can also have negative consequences. The best result is to work with medical professionals to begin treating and structuring the child’s life.
9. OCD is unchanging: This is an easy mistake to make: the public depictions of OCD are of people ritualistically cleaning dishes with no hope of an end in sight. Yet this is a total myth. As with many disorders, the earlier OCD is diagnosed, the better the person will be able to respond to treatment. Even if it’s not caught until late adolescence or adulthood, treatment and medication can do wonders to help people with OCD reduce the frequency and pwoer of the intrusive thoughts that are robbing them of mental freedom. With the right care, people with OCD can make speedy, giant strides toward a better life.
10. Any desire to collect or organize can be linked to OCD: This myth gets spread by people who confuse the mental disorder of OCD with the far more common trait of orderliness or passion for collecting. For instance, a child might become heavily involved in collecting baseball cards or memorizing player statistics; this isn’t OCD, just the manifestation of a burgeoning interest. OCD doesn’t encompass behavior built around collecting or memorization, so don’t let these normal (if devoted) traits lead you to an inaccurate diagnosis. As with all else, proceed with an open mind.

Face it – accidents happen and they are often impossible to avoid. What you can prepare for is having a first aid kit on hand and knowing the basic first aid procedures in a medical emergency. With these basic ABC’s of first aid, you’ll get an idea of what to put in your very own first aid kit and how to handle certain injuries and health conditions.

• Antiseptic
  Antiseptics, such as rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, sterile saline and other solutions are commonly used to disinfect minor wounds and are important to have in a first aid kit.




• Bandages
  
  Every first aid kit should include bandages to protect wounds, stop bleeding and provide support to the body. Bandages come in all shapes and sizes, from adhesive bandages, gauze bandages to compression bandages.




• Cold packs
  
  Cold packs are effective for treating muscle and joint injuries, by reducing swelling, inflammation and alleviating pain. Try an instant cold pack that gives immediate relief on the go.




• Disposable gloves
  
  Disposable gloves, whether latex or synthetic, are important for doctoring an open wound and protecting against contamination from blood and bodily fluids.




• Eye wash
  
  Emergency eye wash is a gentle saline solution that is very good to have in your first aid kit when and if you accidentally get chemicals or particles in your eye.




• Fever
  
  The normal body temperature is 98.6 degree Fahrenheit. Anything over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit is considered a fever and usually means you’re ill or have an infection. Some fevers are harmless as it’s your body’s natural defense against infections, but fevers can be treated with a fever-reducer or pain reliever, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.




• Gauze dressing pads
  
  Gauze dressing pads are multi-purpose bandages that are designed for cleaning wounds and applying medication and antiseptic, as well as layering on a wound to absorb fluid and apply pressure.




• Hydrocortisone cream
  
  Hydrocortisone cream is used to relieve minor skin irritations, itching and rashes from eczema, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac and other harsh irritants.




• Insect sting relief pads
  
  Insect sting relief pads clean and relieve pain and itching caused by insect bites.




• Joint pain
  
  Joint pain is often associated with arthritis, or inflammation of the joints. This painful condition comes with age, but it can be treated with prescription and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines, as well as a number of natural remedies.




• Keep emergency numbers on hand
  
  In the event of an emergency, you’ll need the phone numbers of the family doctor, pediatrician, local emergency service, the regional poison control center and other specialists that can assist when you or someone else is hurt or ill.




• Laceration
  
  A laceration is a cut or scrape that has severed the skin. It’s imperative that you clean the laceration with soap and water and other antiseptics to keep the area clean and dry. Deep lacerations and cuts that won’t stop bleeding may require stitches.




• Motion sickness
  
  Motion sickness can occur during any transportation, resulting in uneasiness, cold sweat, dizziness and vomiting. When traveling, you’ll generally want to sit in or near the front of your mode of transportation, as well as take an over-the-counter antihistamine 30 to 60 minutes before you travel.




• Nosebleeds
  
  Nosebleeds are more of a nuisance than a medical concern, but, either way they should be treated with care. To stop a nosebleed, sit upright, lean forward and pinch your nose using your thumb and index finger for five to 10 minutes. If bleeding lasts longer than 20 minutes, seek medical help immediately.




• Open fracture
  
  An open fracture is when the bone protrudes through the skin and is usually the result of trauma. Open fractures are extremely susceptible to local contamination and infection, therefore they deserve immediate emergency care treatment.




• Pain relievers
  
  Over-the-counter pain relievers are medicines used to reduce and relieve pain from headaches, sore muscles, arthritis, menstrual cramps and other minor aches and pains. OTC pain relievers are categorized by two types: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, such as aspirin, naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).




• Questions
  
  Whenever you’re helping someone who’s sick or injured, it’s important to ask them questions about what their symptoms are, what hurts and where and questions about their medical history. You may be the one talking to the doctor or answering for the patient. If symptoms persist or get worse, don’t hesitate and take them to the hospital.




• Rest
  
  Rest is very important for recovery. The human body goes through a great deal of stress and pain during medical emergencies, both big and small, which is all the more reason to take it easy and rest to prevent further injury and pain.




• Syringe
  
  Syringes are used for giving shots that inject or extract liquid and gases into body tissues. Syringes are important to have on hand when you or someone you know is diabetic or has to get injections for their health condition.




• Thermometer
  
  Thermometers are used to measure the body temperature and determine if a person has a fever or hypothermia. A thermometer is essential for all first aid kits.




• Upper respiratory infection
  
  A URI is any type of infection of the head and chest that is caused by a virus. It can affect your nose, throat, sinuses and ears. It could also affect the tube that connects your middle ear and throat, and your windpipe, voice box and airways. URIs can be treated with over-the-counter medications and self-care items to relieve pain or discomfort.




• Volunteer
  
  If you are certified in CPR or the Heimlich maneuver and see someone in distress, don’t wait for someone else to take charge, volunteer to help them. During a medical emergency, it’s important to help those in need, act quickly and remain calm.




• Water safety
  
  Swimming is a fun activity, but you should always take caution and follow the stated rules to avoid injuries or death. Young children and inexperienced swimmers should always wear a life vest and be closely monitored.




• X-rays
  
  After an injury or persistent pain, an X-ray may be necessary to determine a diagnosis. Before your appointment, try to rest and avoid extraneous activities or putting pressure on the injured area.




• You have to speak up
  
  When you’re hurt, you are the only one who knows what hurts and where. It’s very important to be in tune with your body and be able to vocalize your symptoms, because if you don’t speak up your condition might worsen.




• Ziploc bags
  
  Ziploc resealable bags are great for storing and organizing your first aid supplies, such as bandages, antiseptic ointments, cold compresses and other necessities. Plus, the see-through design makes it easy to find certain items during a chaotic medical emergency.