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(NAPSA)—They may nothave grown up fantasizing abouttheir “perfect wedding,” but sud-denly men are taking an un -characteristic interest in every-thing matrimonial. Just look at the explosion of

Web sites in recent years cateringexclusively to bridegrooms and youknow something’s afoot. “We menpride ourselves on never having toask for directions,” Michael Arnot,who started GroomGroove.com in2007, has said. “But if there’s onetime to do it, this is it.” To those who think we’re wit-

nessing a seismic societal shift,however, please note: Yes, it maybe heartening to see men reachingout for help on topics like how topop the question and the art ofgift registering. But the “direc-tions” people like Arnot givegrooms are very much from themale perspective.Wedding toasts? “No jokes

about ex-girlfriends,” GroomGroove advises. Scheduling wed-dings around football season?“The majority of college and progames take place during the day,so if you schedule an evening wed-ding you can probably watch themajority of the game,” counselsTheManRegistry.com. Though 1.2 million men get

married every year, they seem tobe especially uneducated aboutwedding jewelry—including theengagement ring, his-and-herwedding bands, and gift ideas likeplatinum cuff links and watchesfor their groomsmen.The engagement ring decision

would seem to be of most concernto these grooms, given that 32percent of them don’t consult theirintendeds before buying, accord-ing to The Knot Market Intelli-gence Services. So what’s a man to do? “Trust your first instinct,” says

jewelry and style expert Michael

O’Connor. Because as it turns out,brides and grooms tend to preferthe same setting: platinum.A high-quality diamond en -

gagement ring set in platinum cancost as little as $1,650—platinumwedding bands can run as low as$800—at even a posh jeweler likeDe Beers. O’Connor says men arefans of bands from designers likeMartin Flyer, Ritani and JeffCooper. “Platinum retains its vol-ume over time,” he explains.“Whereas gold will wear morerapidly, especially in pieces thatare worn every day like your wed-ding band.” But brides, he says,tend to take a more romanticview: “Platinum lasts forever, justlike a couple’s love.” Of course, truth be told, a lot of

men’s newfound interest in plan-ning their big day seems finan-cially motivated. Thirty percent ofcouples now pay for their ownwedding, a marked change fromthe days when a bride’s familytraditionally footed the bill. Andwith the average wedding costingapproximately $28,000, accordingto Brides.com’s 2009 AmericanWedding Study, that could alsoexplain why GroomGroove.comurges men to embrace gift reg-istries: “Every item you put on[them] instantly becomes free.”And who doesn’t like freebies?You can find tips on jewelry pur-

chasing and style trends by visit-ing www.PreciousPlatinum.com.

More Grooms Commit To Wedding Planning

More men are taking an interestin planning their wedding.

Tips For Keeping ColdsAnd Flu Under Control(NAPSA)—During cold and flu

season, extra steps can help tokeep seasonal illnesses at bay.Just follow a few simple tips: • Avoid close contact with peo-

ple who are sick and stay homewhen you don’t feel well. It’s agood idea to stay at arm’s lengthfrom someone feeling under theweather.

• Cover your nose and mouthwith a tissue when you cough orsneeze. • Wash hands often and for at

least 15 seconds. Here’s a fun tip:Sing “Happy Birthday” to makesure you wash your hands longenough. • Carry a portable hand sani-

tizer, such as the CVS/pharmacyHand Sanitizing Spray Pen, tohelp reduce exposure to germs inpublic places. • Practice good health habits.

Get enough sleep, drink plenty offluids, be physically active and eata healthy, well-balanced diet. To learn more, visit CVS.com.

A portable hand sanitizer canhelp reduce exposure to germs inpublic places.

(NAPSA)—Looking your bestfor the parties, family dinners andheartfelt moments that make theholidays memorable may be assimple as stocking up on a few keyfashions. So mark your calendarsand send back those RSVPs. It’stime to shop so you can celebratein style.

Deck The HallsAfter-work parties are really

all about looking fabulous whileshowing your personal style. Ifyou’re heading to the partystraight from work, why not weara pair of classic black pants and acolorful beaded tunic or an embell-ished jacket? If your companytends to go all out, choose a moreformal look such as a chiffon skirtand shimmering top.

Gather With FriendsGetting together with the girls

over the holidays? You want acasual look that’s comfortable butalso a little more glamorous thanyour everyday look. Go for a color-ful tunic with beads, sequins orpretty prints. Throw on yourfavorite pair of jeans and maybe astatement ring and you’re readyto go.

Trim The TreeGet out the tinsel and untangle

those lights. It’s time to decorate!During the holidays, it’s fun toshow your festive spirit, even ifyou’re just hanging out at home orrunning to the mall. New fashionactivewear mixes everyday casualcomfort with embellishments likerhinestones and metallic studdetail.

Ring In The NewDuring the holidays (especially

New Year’s Eve), many women getall dolled up and head into townfor a holiday show, a special din-

ner or to meet up with friends at aswanky hot spot. Wear a glam-orous top with plenty of shimmerpaired with your best trousers ora long, slimming skirt. You’re sureto make an entrance that no onewill forget.If you wear plus sizes (16-34),

as over 30 percent of Americanwomen do, holiday fashions in thelatest styles can be harder to find.Luckily, Catherines Plus Sizes hasa gorgeous holiday collection fea-turing styles that will help youlook your best. From after-workparties to quiet moments with theones you love, Catherines is hereto help you create memories thatlast a lifetime. Check out theirholiday favorites and so muchmore at the stores and catherines.com, which cater exclusivelyto plus-size women.It’s your time to shine, and the

right clothes can help you lookand feel your very best this holi-day season and beyond.

Your Time To Shine

If you are getting together withthe girls this season, opt for acasual look that’s comfortablebut also a little more glamorousthan your everyday look.

(NAPSA)—A number of chronicheadache sufferers are findingrelief in what may be a surprisingplace: their dentist’s chair. Experts say pain caused by

temporomandibular (jaw joint)disorder, or TMD—which is com-monly referred to as TMJ—causesmigraine and tension headachesfor numerous Americans. And atrip to a specially trained dentistcould provide relief. “When your bite is not right, it

can lead to chronic pain. Just likeflexing your arm for a second iscomfortable, but flexing it for twoto three minutes starts to hurt,holding the teeth together for along period and in a poor positioncauses muscle pain,” says Dr.Mark Duncan, clinical director atLVI Global, a postgraduate den-tal-training facility. In addition to chronic headaches,

TMD has been linked to grindingof the teeth, breathing problemsand sleep disorders, as well asfacial pain, neck, shoulder andback pain, clicking or popping inthe jaw and limited jaw movement.Fortunately, Dr. Duncan says, “forchronic headache sufferers, thereis hope.” TMD is treatable. • First, a neuromuscular den-

tist performs a comprehensiveevaluation including an electronicanalysis of jaw muscles to findtheir optimal resting position. • Next, a jaw-repositioning

orthotic—which looks like an ath-

lete’s mouth guard—is used to tem-porarily maintain this new relaxedposition. Patients often report thatpain they have endured for manyyears dissipates or goes awayentirely in a matter of days. • Finally, a patient can be fit-

ted with crowns and veneers topermanently hold the new pain-free jaw position. Less than 5 percent of the

world’s dentists are trained in neu-romuscular dentistry. To find a spe-cially trained dentist in your area,visit www.leadingdentists.com.

Dentists Help Treat Chronic Headaches

A trip to a neuromuscular den-tist could help treat chronicheadaches.

(NAPSA)—Holiday cooks cansave time by using ReynoldsWrap® Heavy Duty AluminumFoil to line pans before bakinghams, casseroles and other holi-day dishes. The foil keeps pansclean, so you’ll have less cleanupafter dinner. Visit www.Reynolds Kitchens.com.

** ** **The American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act provides theSmall Business Administrationwith new economic incentives togrow the economy through jobcreation, restarting lending andinvesting in small businesses andthe entrepreneurial spirit ofAmericans. For more information,visit www.sba.gov.

** ** **Caring for your car is a smart

economic investment. For a copyof the Car Care Council’s “CarCare Guide” or for more informa-tion, visit www.carcare.org.

** ** **You can find recipes for deli-

cious holiday dishes such asCreamy Cranberry Rice Puddingand Royal Pecan Rice Bake atRiceSelect’s Web site, www.RiceS-elect.com. It offers over 100

recipes featuring rice rangingfrom Jasmati and Texmati toArborio and Royal Blends.

** ** **The nation’s largest network of

more than 2,500 independentlyowned pharmacies—Health MartPharmacy—was named by J.D.Power and Associates as havingthe highest level of customer sat-isfaction among chain drugstores.Visit www.healthmart.com or call(800) 369-5467.

** ** **The nonprofit Electronic Sys-

tems Professional Alliance (ESPA)has launched a nationwide educa-tion and certification program,the ESPA Certified-EST, for thosewanting to enter the technologyworkforce. To learn more, visitwww.ESPA.org.

At about four feet under-ground, the temperature of theEarth stays the same all yearlong—about fifty-five degrees.

The first modern wind turbinewas built in Vermont in the early1940s.