INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Well-nourished bodies are better equipped to handle anything, so, in looking out for your mind, look out for your body. Start your day off with a healthy breakfast and stay on track with small, nutritious meals throughout the day to keep energized. Many people stress eat -- that can be over or under-eating. If you know this is a problem for you, watch for it. It's probably just making the issue worse. When you get 7-8 hours of sleep a night, you are ready to tackle the stress of any given day more easily. If you're tired, you'll likely be less patient and easily irritated -- which just exacerbates the stress cycle. Getting a good night's rest not only makes for a good day, but a good day makes for a good night. If sleeping is problematic, assess why. Noises? Lights? An insane schedule? What can you adjust to make sleeping easier? Yoga to aerobics to walking around the block after dinner can help relieve stress -- you don't have to go pounding the pavement if you're out of shape. A little goes a long, long way toward stress management and your health. As if you didn't already know, exercise is good for the mind, body, and spirit. Not only does it increase your overall health and your sense of well-being, but it also gets your endorphins going. And that can seriously improve your mood. Oddly enough, it's similar to the calming effect of meditation. It is naturally human to cope with stress outwardly in a number of ways. However, usually those ways aren't so conducive to the problem alleviating itself. If you're prone to this, keep an eye out. Ask others to keep an eye out for you, too. If you find yourself eating, smoking, or drinking (to name just a few), it may be in response to your stress. It can seem like it's helping with the problem, but when you think long-term, it's just making it worse. Take a hard, honest look at your habits. Nurturing yourself should be priority numero uno if you're trying to reduce stress. You can't be expected to be able to solve all life's problems if you're not at your best, so take a moment to just chill. Try to take at least 10 minutes a day to yourself. It can be in bed, on a yoga mat, or just in your office chair. Wherever it is, shut out everything and take a moment to just be calm. Though it may seem a bit silly, but so much of the body works in tandem with the brain, that if you change one, you can change the other. Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing all tell the body to be relaxed. Once you make it a habit, you'll feel the reduction in stress levels. And when stress does come, you'll be able to handle it more calmly and effectively. When it comes to stress, it probably won't just go away. You'll need to come up with a way to handle it. In general, there are four ways to think about this:  Avoid the stressor. Alter the stressor. Adapt to the stressor. Accept the stressor. Thinking of it this way may help you sort your thoughts. Which one is most doable for you? How can you accomplish one of these domains? Family, friends, and your social network all have a big impact on how you handle stress. Having a group of people you can lean on can help keep you mentally healthy. However, support can also be something more concrete, like time or money. Even though it's hard to ask for help, it by no means makes you weak. If you're feeling stressed, you can look for support from:  Family and friends. Coworkers or people you know through hobbies or other interests.  A professional counselor. People you know from church or a member of the clergy. Employee assistance programs at work, or stress management classes. Support groups.

SUMMARY: Eat healthily. Get enough sleep. Exercise. Monitor your addictive habits. Take a time out. Practice relaxation techniques. Deal with it. Get support.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Make sure you have all your supplies ready before giving your kitten a flea bath. You do not need special flea shampoo. In fact, flea shampoo may not be good for a young kitten's skin. You will need the following to shampoo your kitten for fleas:  Two towels. Tweezers or a flea comb. A mild cat shampoo. A plastic bag or a garbage bag. Lay down all your supplies near the sink, tub, or container where you're bathing your kitten. As kittens are small, you can probably use a large mixing bowl or something similar rather than a sink or tub.  Choose a quiet location where you can close the door. Keep some treats on hand to reward your kitten for behaving in the bath. Fill the tub, sink, or bowl with warm water. Make sure the water is cool enough that you can comfortably touch it with your bare hand. Get your kitten used to your touch before the bath. Gently pat the kitten all over its body. Rub behind your kitten's ears, on its head, and sensitive areas like the paws and belly. This will prepare your kitten for your touch during the shampooing. Dunking your kitten in the water may be traumatic. To keep your kitten calm, dunk its feet in the water first. Praise your kitten and talk to it in a soothing voice to keep it calm. Wait until your kitten is used to having its feet wet before proceeding.

SUMMARY: Gather your supplies. Set up the bathing area. Prepare your kitten for the bath. Get the kitten's feet wet first.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You can search for brokers through the Investment Advisor Public Disclosure's (IAPD) website. Make sure to read the brokers' ADV form, which contains information about the broker's business practices, conflicts of interests, and fees. Use BrokerCheck to research a broker's professional background and qualifications. Choose brokers that belong to reputable governing bodies such as the National Association of Securities Dealers and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Regular brokers work directly with their clients, while broker-sellers act like a middleman between a brokerage firm and the client. Typically, regular brokers are more reputable than broker-sellers. Broker-sellers may have hidden fees that can prevent you from making the most out of your investment. Because a broker-seller's services can be cheaper than the services provided by a regular broker, some people may choose a broker-seller over a regular broker. Because discount brokers do not offer as many services as full service brokers, they are typically cheaper. However, choose a discount broker that offers their investors free advice on investments.  Unlike full service brokers, discount brokers typically do not provide their clients with research and advice, personal consultations, or tax and estate planning. The cost of a discount broker can range from $0 to $6 USD per trade. Full service brokers provide many services that may be beneficial to a beginner investor, such as help managing your account, offering one-on-one advice, and providing you with research to help you make a sound investment. These services may be worth the money if you are a new investor. The cost of a full service broker can range from $5 to $20 USD per trade. Brokers typically make a $5 to $10 USD commission off of every trade that you make. If you plan to actively trade your stocks, then choose a broker with a low commission fee. If you choose a broker with a high commission fee, half of the money you make may go to your broker instead of you. Because buy-and-hold investors do not do a lot of trading, your account may be inactive the majority of the time. Choose a broker that does not charge for inactivity or monthly fees. Since you are interested in long-term gains, it is ok to have a broker with a slightly higher trade commission fee. Most brokers, but not all, typically require a minimum balance of $500 to $1,000 USD or more to open an account. However, fee structures that seem complicated typically contain hidden fees. Read the fee summaries and account agreement carefully before you make a decision, especially if the broker's rates seem too good to be true.  Make sure to read over the broker's withdrawal guidelines and fees as well. Some online brokers do not require a minimum deposit.

SUMMARY:
Research different brokerage companies. Choose regular brokers over broker-sellers. Use a discount broker if you are a young investor. Pay for a full service broker if you have the funds. Find a broker with a low commission fee if you are a trader. Avoid brokers who have inactivity fees if you are a buy-and-hold investor. Select a broker with a straightforward fee structure.