Friday, April 26, 2013

Choose your food wisely, lots of good ideas for you

  Think back, 30 or 40 years ago. Our grandparents, and even parents gardened.  We ate food fresh from the garden, and it didn't take hours to prepare. We were healthier, not so much diabetes, high blood pressure, allergies, ADHD etc.  We drank water, not pop, and ate less processed foods. Now the super market is loaded with stuff to stick in the microwave, foods that are tampered with, containing GMO's  and chemicals and preservatives. Finding things that are good for us is getting harder because we are getting more tuned in to eating stuff that comes in cans and boxes.  We buy into tv ads telling us to do "the smart thing" by eating a container of fruit flavored yogurt instead of cookies, doughnuts etc. Well, those flavored yogurts have 37 grams or more of sugar, more than a can of soda pop. Worse, some of them are sweetened with aspartame which is proven to be a poison to our system, if you see that, avoid the product, also anything with fake sugars, stuff that comes in little pink, blue or yellow envelopes is just a mix of chemical substances. Go for a little honey, or pure maple syrup. Some stevia is good but watch the company and try and get safe, pure, stuff.  A good rule to follow when shopping is, don't buy anything with more than 5 ingredients, and never buy things with ingredients your 3 year old c an not pronounce.  Make a few changes and start cooking fresh produce when you can. Farmers markets are opening up, most of their produce is safe and healthy, and you will find prepping a good meal can be done in anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, unless you are baking things and need more time there.
  Add tomatoes to your diet, people who have a tomato rich diet have lower risk of coronary  heart disease. The color comes from anti oxidants and is even more concentrated in sauce. Watermelon works the same way
  Keeping your immune system healthy is as easy as adding a few items,  like sipping a cup of hot tea. Tea give you 5 times more germ fighting ability if you drink up to 5 cups a day, Do some stretching, and relaxing. Add garlic to your meals, it has antibacterial fighters. Cuts your risk of high blood pressure and heart problems.  And try and stay cheerful, that elevates your mood and helps you feel better.
  When you buy your fresh produce, bring it home and wash it with a mix of 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, a splash of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. I fill a large bowl and let produce soak for at least 15 minutes, then rinse well and store properly.
  I am blessed with green mold on the north side of my house, no sun hits it. Yesterday I mixed a cup of vinegar and a cup of water, and 1 Tablespoon of soda and sprayed the mold. It cuts it well, need a more powerful hose to get it washed off. You can also use this on your bathroom shower walls to stop mildew and mold.
  How about some new uses for olive oil?  Rub gently into your hands after doing painting chores, it helps remove the paint without hurting your skin. If you have a stuck zipper, try rubbing some on that and working it loose. If your hubby has dry skin he can use it to shave with, or try peanut butter(smooth of course) and just feel the silky skin you are left with, and of course if you have pets drizzle a tad on their food to help with  hair balls. Cats of course, dogs don't have that problem. Back in the Roman Empire days, olive oil was taxed because it was such a hot commodity.
 If you are a tea drinker and have stained cups and teapots, sprinkle baking soda on stained area, add enough water to make a paste and scrub with a sponge or dish cloth. Use a cotton swab for spouts,.

  If you use non stick baking pans for muffins, never use cooking spray on them, it makes them sticky. Use a small amount of olive oil, or better, paper liners.
  We have come into a white period, the dogwoods are just breathtaking and the snowball bushes are  out of this world, I have one with saucer sized blooms.  Right now all the white shows up against the fresh green of the trees, finally everything looks fresh and spring like. So nice after the long winter with the brown dead colors. I love these mountains, the colors are ever changing. We really seem to have periods of certain colors, yellow is always first, with the daffodils and forsythias but the whole summer season is filled with beauty. I think my favorite southern tree is the Mimosa, pink and delicate.  It's lumped in with crepe myrtles that range from white to pink, to rose and red and purple,  a never ending rainbow. If you have never been south, take a trip to this side of the country and almost any season but November to March will give you a glimpse of splendorific color.
  Hope you can get out and enjoy this lovely spring weather, til next time, eat healthy.

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