Category: Points of interest

Pampered Chef Link Share

https://www.pamperedchef.com/party/michellerogers0708

Yes, I am having an online Pampered Chef Party.

This stuff is great. There are things that you may like. Please check it out. If you have a Facebook account you can do an online party there as well. It costs you nothing to join and look

It costs nothing to book a party for me. It all can be done online.

Thank you,

Michelle

Rare Black Leopard Link Share

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/animals/a-rare-black-leopard-was-captured-on-camera/vi-AAE2r6y?ocid=spartandhp

Did You Know?~Wine

Hello Pesticides

Most vineyards are sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides to protect their crops from insects and infection. These chemicals get in the soil, the grapes, and ultimately in the wine you drink. Grapes are near the top of the “Dirty Dozen” foods sprayed with the most chemicals. You avoid these chemicals in your food (that’s why you shop for organic produce) and you should avoid them in your wine.

And unlike other fruits, which have a protective rind you don’t eat… grapes have a thin and porous skin. That means they absorb the chemicals sprayed on them. And because wine is concentrated from so many grapes (600-800 per bottle) – the end result is a condensed source of harmful cancer-promoting chemical compounds.

Dump in the Additives

In the US, wine producers can use 76 different additives in wine without disclosing any of them on the bottle. Things like:

  • defoaming agents
  • artificial coloring (virtually every red wine under $20 has the colorant “mega purple”)
  • extra sugar
  • high fructose corn syrup
  • ammonia
  • GMO bacteria and yeasts
  • Fining and Clarifying Agents like fish bladder, casein or polyvinyl-polpyr-rolidone (PVPP)
  • sulfites
  • and a lot more

There’s one additive called Velcorin that’s particularly insane. It must be applied by people with special training while wearing hazmat suits. It’s so toxic it will burn your skin if you touch it and will kill you if consumed before it’s broken down in the wine. But even after it breaks down, I’d rather not put that in my body…

What’s even worse than learning about all these additives used in winemaking is realizing that there is no labeling or transparency about their use. Wine has no ingredients label.

A wine can have 76 additives and you would have no idea!

Why do we passionately read the label for all foods we buy and only purchase items with organic, clean ingredients, and yet we don’t pay any attention to what’s in our wine?!

The Rise of Alcohol

The American Association of Wine Economists tested the alcohol levels of tens of thousands of wines between 1992 and 2009. They saw a surprising trend. Alcohol levels jumped from an average of 12.7% in 1992 to 13.8% in 2009. Today, it’s over 14%.

In fact, it is not uncommon to see 17%+ in commercial wines.

Remember – Alcohol is TOXIC!

While many of us still enjoy drinking alcohol, dosage matters.

Studies have consistently shown that alcohol consumption is highly dose-dependent – in lower doses, research shows many positive benefits; in excess, it’s harmful. A recent report in the journal, Nature, once again highlighted this. It’s crucial to drink lower alcohol wines.

As much sugar as a coke can?

A bottle of wine can have a surprising amount of sugar in it. Again, there’s no nutrition label on the bottle so you have no idea. Even red wines have higher sugar levels than you think. You won’t always taste it because the underlying acidity and tannins hide the sweeter notes.

If you’re trying to avoid sugar in your diet, you are likely still drinking sugar in your wine.

Super sweet wines can be as high as 300 g/L of sugar. A can of coke has 108g. To follow a healthy lifestyle, you should avoid both.





Don’t Drink Directly From Can!!!

The Real Reason You Should Never Drink Directly From the Can

We’ve all been there: You crack open a nice frosty beverage in an aluminum can and then pull back the tab only to see a nice layer of grime wedged all along the lip. Disgusted, you toss the beverage into the recycling bin.

When you think about it, it’s not surprising to find filthy cans of soda. They go from the production line in a factory to a warehouse to a shelf at your grocery. Although cans are usually boxed up in cardboard, they are exposed to a multitude of environments while being handled by multiple hands and carted around greasy industrial machines. Read on to discover just how gross cans can be and the real reason you should never drink directly from a can. And then check out The Most Popular Sodas Ranked by How Toxic They Are.1

E. coli, Anyone?

Soda cans

Shutterstock

Medical experts of the popular TV show The Doctors tested the tops of aluminum beverage cans in 2017 gathered from gas stations, vending machines, and grocery stores. Though most came up clean, some from the groceries were positive for E. coli, which can cause diarrhea, respiratory illness, and pneumonia.2

BPA Blues

Energy drinks

Shutterstock

A chemical called BPA (bisphenol A) used to be a common ingredient in plastic bottles, but most manufacturers have phased it out after it was found to possibly cause hormonal imbalances. The compound is still found in the epoxy lining of some aluminum cans, though, and a study from 2014 showed that BPA leaching from cans can increase blood pressure, raising the risk of heart disease. 3

Metallic Tongue

Woman drinking soda

Shutterstock

For those with a sensitive palate, the act of putting your lips on the edge of an aluminum can could cause an adverse reaction to the metallic taste. On the other hand, glass has no metals, so you get clean and unadulterated flavor with every swig.4

Rodent Showers

Supermarket soda aisle

Shutterstock

Though a long-distributed chain email scare about someone dying from drinking out of a contaminated can from a diseased rodent was false, there is still a chance that your can has seen some rat activity. Be cautious with cans you think may have been exposed, like those from vending machines.

5

Pathogen Party

Spindrift

Courtesy of Spindrift

In 2013, a CBS TV station in Texas took swabs of the top of cans in gas stations, restaurants, colleges, and vending machines and found that they were infected with stenotrophomonas maltophilia, pseudomonas luteola, and enterobacter cloacae. These harmful pathogens can cause illness and infections in immune-compromised folks. Talk about another reason you should never drink directly from a can.6

Environmental Toll

Soft drinks

Shutterstock

While aluminum is a sustainable resource and is 100 percent recyclable, the process to get aluminum from the mineral bauxite means ripping it out of the Earth. Making a virgin aluminum can is estimated to exhaust about twice as much energy as creating a glass bottle so if you’re concerned about the environment, a bottle may be the better buy.7

Stinging Surprise

Pouring sugar out of a can of soda

Shutterstock

When quaffing a cold beer or sweet soda from an aluminum can, the sugars in both beverages can attract flies, or worse, bees and wasps. Leaving a can out on your picnic table while tending to the flaming BBQ grill may attract the stinging insects to the sweet beverage.7

Clean Your Can

La Croix lemon seltzer

Shutterstock

There are many disadvantages to drinking from an aluminum can, but the good news is that they are 100 percent recyclable and offer a light and convenient way to enjoy your favorite beverages. To protect yourself from the most immediate health concerns, make sure to simply rinse your can with a bit of water to eliminate most of the bad bugs.

© 2008-2019 GALVANIZED MEDIA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Word Quiz LinkShare

http://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-day-quiz-june-24-june-30-2019/

How Much Exercise~ Information

HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO YOU NEED TO DO?

To stay healthy, adults aged 19 to 64 should try to be active daily and should do:

  • at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or brisk walking every week and
  • strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms)

Or:

  • 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity such as running or a game of singles tennis every week and
  • strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms)

Or:

  • a mix of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity every week – for example, 2 x 30-minute runs plus 30 minutes of brisk walking equates to 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and
  • strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms)

A good rule is that 1 minute of vigorous activity provides the same health benefits as 2 minutes of moderate activity.

One way to do your recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity is to do 30 minutes on 5 days every week.

All adults should also break up long periods of sitting with light activity.

Source: NHS 

Funny Short Story

Everyday Items To Stop Buying…

With food prices increasing almost daily, the additional expense to buy weekly groceries is cutting into other budget items.  Start thinking about cutting out certain items that are not absolutely essential.  This train of thought got me to start thinking what everyday items can stop buying from the store.  Here are some ideas:

  1. Sandwich bags and other zip type bags:  These are certainly convenient and I have used them for years, but I can remember my parents did not use them during lean times.  I have sandwich size plastic containers that I got from the dollar store and will now pack lunches in these reusable plastic containers.
  2. Aluminum foil and plastic wrap:  Foil is also very convenient and we have started counting on it as a staple.  But if you think about it, you can just use reusable containers to store leftovers, and use unlined baking pans for the oven.  Just grease well and food will slide off easily.
  3. Paper goods   Paper napkins:  Use cloth napkins instead of paper, and throw them in the wash with the rest of your laundry.  Paper towels:  Although I really liked the super absorbent paper towels like Brawny, but they have gotten quite expensive.  I brought out the sponges and old rags and now use those for cleaning instead.  I still keep a roll around to drain grease from food after frying (not willing to use newspaper next to food) but the roll now lasts for a very long time.  I’d have to figure out another grease absorbing substitute-let me know if you find one!  Coffee filters:  I got a wire mesh coffee filter and now no longer need paper filters.
  4. Cereal  Apartment prepper daughter was the one who showed me how to make granola at home.  I thought it would be difficult, but it was quite simple if you follow these directions step by step.
  5. Soda  I stopped drinking soda a long time ago, but I still like sparkling water.  Instead of buying Perrier or La Croix, I now make sparkling water and soda at home.  I’ve had my SodaStream for a couple of years now and have never gone back.
  6. Bottled water: If you don’t like the taste of tap water, just use a water filtration system.  Even a water filter pitcher like Brita or Pur will improve the taste of tap water.
  7. Laundry Detergent:  I enjoy the smell of laundry detergent, but it is so much better to make it yourself.  I found an easy recipe and have been making it ever since.  It is also useful for other cleaning jobs.
  8. Mouthwash  I used to buy inexpensive mouthwash from Walmart, until I learned how to make it myself.  It is all natural, with no chemicals or preservatives.
  9. Liquid Hand Soap  It is so easy to make hand soap, and one batch lasted me for over a year.
  10. Dishwashing Powder Detergent   This is another easy to make recipe and the resulting detergent lasts a long time.
  11. Moisturizers and lotions  I used to spend a lot of money on buying moisturizers and lotions at the cosmetic counter.   I learned you can control the ingredients and save money by making it yourself.
  12. Yogurt   Make yogurt once and you will never go back to store bought.  It contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives and you get all the yogurt goodness.  If you prefer Greek yogurt, you can make that too.
  13. Cleaning supplies  Cleaning supplies are so easy to make.  If you reuse containers, you must wash them thoroughly before you refill them.  NEVER mix bleach and ammonia – sounds like common knowledge but I still see news reports about people getting overcome by fumes from this.
  14. Dog treats  I thought my dog would be too picky to eat this, but once he tried it, he loved it!  Never went back to buying dog biscuits at the store again.
  15. Vanilla  I am still using the vanilla I made from this project.  And it is as flavorful as the store bought kind.

I used to think giving up on buying stuff meant deprivation.  The opposite actually happened.  By using a bit of creativity, substituting and making things myself, I felt more abundance.  When you stop buying these everyday items, you feel more empowered and more self-sufficient than before.  You’ll appreciate the money savings too.  What everyday items have you stopped buying? 

© Apartment Prepper 2016