Safeguarding You Food by Carol Bond

Safeguarding Your Food Every year, an estimated 7 million Americans suffer from cases of food borne illness. Some cases are violent and even result in death. Of course this is commonly known as "food poisoning." The culprit is food that has dangerously high levels of bacteria due to improper cooking or handling. Food safety is usually taken for granted by the buying public but everyone's attention was recently directed to food poisoning involving some meat that was undercooked. It was determined that the problem never would have happened if the meat had been cooked properly. E.Coli 0157.H7 is a potent virus, but it can be completely destroyed when the meat is fully cooked. It is important for consumers to take an all-around safety approach to purchasing, storing and preparing both traditional and new meat and poultry products. Ultimately, consumers and food handlers bear the responsibility for keeping food safe once it leaves the store. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 85 percent of food borne illness cases could be avoided each year if consumers would handle food properly. The most common food borne illnesses are caused by a combination of bacteria, naturally present in the environment, and food handling mistakes. Ironically, these are also the easiest types of food borne illnesses to prevent. Proper cooking or processing of raw meat and poultry kills bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. When you're out, grocery shop last, take food straight home to the refrigerator. And never leave food in a hot car! Don't buy anything you won't use before the use-by date. Don't buy food in poor condition. Make sure refrigerated food is cold to the touch. Frozen food should be rock-solid. Canned goods should be free of dents, cracks or bulging lids which can indicate a serious food poisoning threat. The performance and maintenance of your refrigerator is of the utmost importance. Check the temperature of your refrigerator with an appliance thermometer. To keep bacteria in check, the refrigerator should run at 40 degrees F; the freezer unit at 0 degrees F. Generally, keep your refrigerator as cold as possible without freezing your milk or lettuce. When you prepare food, keep everything clean and thaw out any frozen food you plan to prepare in your refrigerator. Take it out of the freezer in advance and place it in the refrigerated section of your refrigerator. Always wash your hands in hot soapy water before preparing and handling any food as well as after you use the bathroom, change diapers, handle pets, etc. Remember, too, that bacteria can live in your kitchen towels, sponges and dish cloths. Wash them often and replace the dish cloths and sponges you use regularly every few weeks. Be absolutely sure that you keep all raw meats, poultry and fish and their juices away from other food. For instance, wash your hands, your cutting board and knife in hot soapy water after cutting up the chicken and before dicing salad ingredients. It is best to use plastic cutting boards rather than wooden ones where bacteria can hide in grooves. Don't take your food out of the freezer and leave it on the kitchen counter to thaw. This is extremely dangerous since the bacteria can grow in the outer layers of the food before the inside thaws. It is wise to do your marinating in the refrigerator too.
This article is provided by Carol Bond Health Foods. Carol Bond Health Foods has been serving natural health consumers for over 25 years. For the best vitamin supplements and health foods visit www.CarolBond.com.

You Can Have Healthy Skin By Carol Bond

You Can Have Healthy Skin With new research, new products and new skin protection advice popping up all the time, it is hard to figure out the best things to do to improve and protect your skin. A skin care program is the combination of skin care products and a routine that will be most beneficial to the skin. You will first need to consider your diet and type of life-style since these two factors play an important role in the health of a person's skin. These days we seem to be living in the fast-food age and the condition of your skin is often neglected. You still can't beat the old fruit and vegetable diet when it comes to good health and a good complexion. Remember to feed and nourish your skin by eating the proper foods. Give your skin a drink too. Those eight glasses of water a day your mom always told you to be sure to drink are essential to maintaining your skin's elasticity and suppleness, say experts. And don't count coffee or any of the caffeinated sodas as part of the eight glasses because caffeine is dehydrating. The water you choose can be sparkling water, mineral or straight from the tap. Another suggestion is that you keep a liter-size bottle close at hand, or simply drink a glass or two with your meals, and a few in between. You need to give some thought and consideration to the type of makeup you sue. And be sure to clean your tools regularly. Things such as cosmetic brushes get dirty and can carry bacteria and germs and may cause skin irritations and breaking out. One of the leading cosmetic authorities suggests that cosmetic brushes be thoroughly cleaned at least twice a month. A good way is to soak brushes for about 10 minutes in a dish of warm, soapy water using mild liquid detergent or baby shampoo. Rinse and blot excess moisture with a towel and stand the brushes, handle end down, in a tall glass until they are thoroughly dry. Keep environmental pollutants from being absorbed into the skin with a good moisturizer that also acts as a skin barrier. Check the labels for those with added Vitamin A, C and E, which help block the penetration of pollutants. A good exercise program such as aerobics can activate and rejuvenate the skin and improve circulation and blood flow. Also, body sweat triggers production of sebum, which is the skin's own natural moisturizer. One skin care expert has come up with a do-it-yourself version of a treatment you may like to try. Stir the juice of half a lemon into one cup of plain yogurt. Keep it in the refrigerator and apply it as you would a cream every night before bed. You can even apply a thin coat of moisturizer over it is you like, after waiting about five minutes for the yogurt mixture to penetrate. With consistent use, you should see more even pigmentation and smoother skin in three to four weeks. Get serious about stress reduction. Skin conditions such as acne appear on many people who are stressed out, and chronic skin conditions then to get worse. Set aside quiet time to meditate or daydream. Be sure to get enough sleep. To avoid morning eye or facial puffiness, sleep on your back so fluid doesn't collect there. And, you can keep the oil from your hair away from your face by wearing a head covering or a soft headband when you go to bed. And keep in mind that too much stress can affect your overall health as well as your complexion’s to get down to the essential things.
This article is provided by Carol Bond Health Foods. Carol Bond Health Foods has been serving natural health consumers for over 25 years. For the best vitamin supplements and health foods visit www.CarolBond.com.

Is Smoking Related To Kidney Stones? By James Davidson

Kidney stone is a remarkably popular ailment across the globe. The size of the stone varies greatly; it may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. They are extremely painful and are more common in men as compared to women. The male to female ratio for kidney stone disease is 4:1.
The cause of most stones is unknown but they can be associated with a high concentration of calcium in the urine or occasionally in the blood. They can also be caused by dehydration, infection, obstruction of urine and various kidney disorders. Stones are more common during the summer when people sweat and their urine becomes more concentrated.
Smoking is a major risk factor for the three diseases that cause most deaths in Australia. These include heart disease, stroke and cancer. Quitting smoking is one of the most basic ways of reducing your risk of ill health.
It s commonly known that smoking is injurious to health. It invites a bundle of problems and ailments. It has been believed that the smokers are twice as likely to develop kidney cancer and other kidney problems as compared to the non- smokers. It is suggested to try to quit smoking as soon as possible in kidney stones.
It may be difficult to attempt to quit smoking and maintain a healthy diet at the same time but if you are a smoker, it is important to concentrate on quitting first. Stopping smoking should be the first priority in achieving a healthy heart and a healthy body.
Kidney stones at times become very highly complicated and need surgery. The patients are suggested to quit smoking and try to reduce weight incase one is bulky. Before the operation the surgeon must be clearly told about any allergies to tablets, medicines or dressings so that those things should be taken care of. After the operation the patient requires proper care so it is most important to have an attendant or a family member to support.

Exercise Melts Body Fat by Carol Bond

Exercise Melts Body Fat If you want to reduce your body fat, focus on increasing the amount of exercise you get rather than decreasing your food intake. A recent national study was done using two groups of sedentary men, one group in their 20's and the other over age 65. A lot was learned from this accumulated data and it is interesting to note that there was a significant relationship between lack of physical activity and fat. Not surprisingly, the most sedentary men had the most body fat. These studies have also indicated that the governments current recomended daily allowance for calories does not correlate with the body's actual energy needs. For example, although 2400 calories have been calculated for older men, they in fact burned an average of 2800 calories daily. The leading experts now recommend that people who want to lose weight start increasing their physical activity. Just being more active in general (such as climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator, moving around instead of sitting still, sitting up instead of lying down as well as showing some excitement and enthusiasm instead of boredom), are things that more effectively burns calories and reduces body fat. Everyone seems to have lost sight of the value of being active. Consider this, a half-hour aerobic workout accounts for far less energy expenditure than our minute-to-minute movement in the office or at home. Millions of Americans are trying to lose weight, spending approximately $30 billion a year on diet programs and products, often they do lose some weight. But, if you check with the same people five years later, you will find that nearly all have regained whatever weight they lost. A national panel recently sought data to determine if any commercial diet program could prove long-term success. Not a single program could do so. Being seriously overweight and particularly obesity predisposes individuals to a number of diseases and serious health problems, and it's now a known fact that when caloric intake is excessive, some of the excess frequently is saturated fat. People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time. Although your weight may initially drop while dieting, such weight loss consists mostly of water and muscle. When the weight returns, it comes back as fat. To avoid getting fatter over time, increase your metabolism by exercising regularly. Walking is one of the best exercises for strengthening bones, controlling weight, toning the leg muscles, maintaining good posture and improving positive self-concept. To lose weight, it's more important to walk for time than speed. Walking at a moderate pace yields longer workouts with less soreness - leading t more miles and more fat worked off on a regular basis. High intensity walks on alternate days help condition one's system. But in a walking, weight-loss program, you are not requried to walk an hour every day as some people would have you believe. When it comes to good health and weight loss, exercise and diet are inter-related. Exercising without maintaining a balanced diet is no more beneficial than dieting whle remaining inactive. This article is provided by Carol Bond Health Foods. Carol Bond Health Foods has been serving natural health consumers for over 25 years. For the best vitamin supplements and health foods visit www.CarolBond.com

Conquering the Smoking Habit by Carol Bond

Conquering The Smoking Habit Most smokers sincerely want to quit. They know cigarettes threaten their health, set a bad example for their children, annoy their acquaintances and cost an inordinate amount of money. Nobody can force a smoker to quit. It's something each person has to decide for himself, and will require a personal commitment by the smoker. What kind of smoker are you? What do you get out of smoking? What does it do for you? It is important to identify what you use smoking for and what kind of satisfaction you feel that you are getting from smoking. Many smokers use the cigarette as a kind of crutch in moments of stress or discomfort, and on occasion it may work; the cigarette is sometimes used as a tranquilizer. But the heavy smoker, the person who tries to handle severe personal problems by smoking heavily all day long, is apt to discover that cigarettes do not help him deal with his problems effectively. When it comes to quitting, this kind of smoker may find it easy to stop when everything is going well, but may be tempted to start again in a time of crisis. Physical exertion, eating, drinking, or social activity in moderation may serve as useful substitutes for cigarettes, even in times of tension. The choice of a substitute depends on what will achieve the same effects without having any appreciable risk. Once a smoker understands his own smoking behavior, he will be able to cope more successfully and select the best quitting approaches for himself and the type of life-style he leads. Because smoking is a form of addiction, 80 percent of smoker who quit usually experience some withdrawal symptoms. These may include headache, light-headedness, nausea, diarrhea, and chest pains. Psychological symptoms, such as anxiety, short-term depression, and inability to concentrate, may also appear. The main psychological symptom is increased irritability. People become so irritable, in fact, that they say they feel "like killing somebody." Yet there is no evidence that quitting smoking leads to physical violence. Some people seem to lose all their energy and drive, wanting only to sleep. Others react in exactly the opposite way, becoming so over energized they can't find enough activity to burn off their excess energy. For instance, one woman said she cleaned out all her closets completely and was ready to go next door to start on her neighbor's. Both these extremes, however, eventually level off. The symptoms may be intense for two or three days, but within 10 to 14 days after quitting, most subside. The truth is that after people quit smoking, they have more energy, they generally will need less sleep, and feel better about themselves. Quitting smoking not only extends the ex-smoker's life, but adds new happiness and meaning to one's current life. Most smokers state that immediately after they quit smoking, they start noticing dramatic differences in their overall health and vitality. Quitting is beneficial at any age, no matter how long a person has been smoking. The mortality ratio of ex-smoker decreases after quitting. If the patient quits before a serious disease has developed, his body may eventually be able to restore itself almost completely.
This article is provided by Carol Bond Health Foods. Carol Bond Health Foods has been serving natural health consumers for over 25 years. For the best vitamin supplements and health foods visit www.CarolBond.com

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