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BOOST YOUR PARTY SURVIVAL SKILLS

You know that meticulously chosen outfit for the holiday party? Nobody notices it. Same if you're wearing "the totally wrong thing." Far fewer people than you think will even perceive it. How we know: A group of college students were asked to don a Barry Manilow T-shirt before entering a room full of people. Despite the college students' worst fears, only about half the people they expected to notice actually were aware of the 'Copacabana' singer emblazoned across their chests. Doctors dub this situation the "spotlight effect," which simply means that in social situations, people tend to grossly overestimate how much others are paying attention to their actions or appearance (not that it's ever happened to you). So whether you're having a bad hair day, living with a little coffee stain on your shirt, or not your usual brilliant conversational self, don't stress! All eyes aren't upon you. But if you still feel nervous going into the party, get the hot cider instead of a cold beer. And ask someone to hold it for you for a sec. One study found that people who momentarily held an iced coffee judged others as colder, less social and more selfish than people who momentarily held a hot coffee. And stand by the group that's having the most fun. Sounds of laughter or cheering trigger strong brain activity in listeners - particularly in the brain areas that control the muscles of the face - which means listeners are primed to smile or laugh, too.

WHAT NOT TO DO BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT

If you never skip a stretch before your workout, consider bending your rules. There's no good evidence that static stretching - the type where you hold a stretch for half a minute or so - reduces your risk of injury when you do it before a workout. And "ballistic" stretching, or bouncing, is a definite no-no, because it can actually hurt you. Start a workout by doing a less-intense version of the activity. For example, do some lunges using three-pound weights before you do them for serious gain using 20-pound weights. So can you skip the stretch? Nope. Stretching will increase your flexibility, which is essential in keeping your body young (especially if you're planning on pitching any no-hitters). Since stretching works best for muscles while they're warm, it makes the most sense to do it after your workout (that, plus the fact that stretching may temporarily decrease your muscles' strength and power). Protect your muscles by working to the point of moderate tension but not to the point of pain. In other words, you should feel the stretch, but it shouldn't hurt. And don't stay there forever. Thirty seconds for each does the trick; fortunately, more time isn't better. If you're not sure you're stretching correctly, find a trainer to show you how. Or, take a class that focuses on stretching and flexibility, such as yoga, tai chi or Pilates.

BUILD A BETTER MEMORY

Wondering what happened to that thingy you had on top of the whatchamacallit yesterday? A pair of vitamins plus one renegade might be able to help you out with that. Seems older people who are short on vitamin B-12 have more trouble recalling certain words, and low levels of folate (B-9) may add to the brain drain. Without B vitamins, your brain's neurotransmitters don't work perfectly. To compound the problem, the levels of homocysteine in your blood rise, doubling your risk of developing Alzheimer's. Although there's no scientific evidence that B supplements catapult your thinking to Mensa levels, the Bs in vitamins are generally as safe as Bs in college were, and anecdotal evidence is enticing. But getting enough Bs to keep your mind sharp takes effort. Even one serving of salmon and one of mahi mahi a day, plus an egg, a cup of milk and a cup of yogurt - all B-12 sources - won't get you to 25 micrograms of that vitamin. To guard against a shortfall, especially if you're a vegetarian, it's smart to take a supplement. Folate (B-9), however, is in lots of fortified foods, including cereals, breads and pastas, so you may get plenty in your diet; we recommend 400 micrograms. Don't take a supplement unless your doctor tests your B-12 levels. High levels of folate may mask a B-12 deficiency. Those Bs are the pair; the renegade is vitamin D, which also helps your brain. Get at least 1,200 IU a day, and maybe up to 2,000. You'll have to use supplements, but you shouldn't have trouble remembering them.

STOP MONEY STRESS

We may look like Masters of the Universe on the outside, but there's still a good deal of Fred Flintstone on the inside. That's good for winning over Wilma, but bad for your bank account and your stress level. See, our tendency to grab small short-term gains to our long-term disadvantage - that's when you choose the cheaper air conditioner over the pricier one that will save on energy bills for years down the line - comes from our Stone Age ancestors. Those were folks who had a reasonable chance of dying during the course of any given day. So the choice to go with a smaller, surer, instant reward was hardly irrational. But what was Mensa smart in olden times doesn't work so well today, when it can cause you to overspend and be burdened with financial stress. Fortunately, you can overwrite these habits. The newer areas of our brains can moderate or even shut down these instinctual behaviours with strategies like these: Do the math. People can be swayed into paying more for items if they come with "free" stuff, even if the extra they're paying is more than the price of the "free" item. Pause and reflect on all financial decisions. Make sure that the lollipop maker that you want is something that you really, really need. Write it down. Record your daily purchases for a month (or just save all your receipts). Consider how to cut back or improve by 10 per cent. You'll be amazed at what you can live without. Really reflecting on all choices and saving 10 per cent of all paychecks for an emergency account are the two key ideas we YOU Docs use. Watch them reduce your stress (assuming you still get a paycheque), too.

THE DANGER ZONE YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT

On the edge. It's an exciting place to be if you have a parachute. But about a quarter of North American adults are living on that precipitous spot - without the safety of that silk-filled backpack. They have prehypertension; that's when blood pressure numbers are just a bit high - 120 to 139 systolic or 80 to 89 diastolic - but not high enough to be officially classified as hypertension. Since they're not over the edge, many people aren't concerned about those numbers. But research shows that even slightly elevated pressure now boosts your risk of heart trouble in the future. The solution? Act now. Dropping your numbers down to or below the optimum 115/76 can slash your risk of cardiovascular disease as much as 25 per cent (more if your initial blood pressure was higher than 139 systolic or 89 diastolic). Drive your numbers down by getting physically active. And try kicking some salt out of your diet; you just may be responsive to too much of that mineral. Here's how to do it: Watch where you order. Typical restaurant meals are notoriously high in sodium. Go where you can special order low-sodium meals. Or try cutting your dining-out schedule in half (great for your wallet, too). Read labels closely when you buy premade, prepackaged or canned foods. Words to look for on ingredients lists: sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium nitrite, sodium propionate and sodium sulfite. If the sodium content of any serving is over 200 mg, forgo it. Even better: Rely on fresh foods, not packaged ones. Diversify your spice rack. Stop relying on salt for flavour. Instead, experiment with tastes, including black pepper, lemon pepper, garlic, curry, lime or lemon juice and red wine vinegar.