(From Health.com newsletter)
Your toothbrush
The human mouth contains about 100 million microbes per milliliter of saliva, Schmidt says. Those microbes eat the same food you do, and when you brush, food particles and bacteria stick to your toothbrush. The unhappy result: an overgrowth of germs on your brush.
Simple fix: After brushing, rinse your toothbrush with hot water and stand it up in a water glass to air-dry, says Margaret Lewin, MD, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Cornell University and medical director
of the insurance company Cinergy Health. Don’t lay it on the counter, where it can gather other bathroom germs, and don’t store it in a travel case, where bacteria can thrive in the moisture. You can even clean your toothbrush in the dishwasher once in a while.
Sometimes I pour a little alcohol in a dixie cup and swish our toothbrushes in it for a few seconds and then rinse the toothbrushes well.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Cleaning Tips
From Health.com newsletter
Your toothbrush
The human mouth contains about 100 million microbes per milliliter of saliva, Schmidt says. Those microbes eat the same food you do, and when you brush, food particles and bacteria stick to your toothbrush. The unhappy result: an overgrowth of germs on your brush.
Simple fix: After brushing, rinse your toothbrush with hot water and stand it up in a water glass to air-dry, says Margaret Lewin, MD, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Cornell University and medical director
of the insurance company Cinergy Health. Don’t lay it on the counter, where it can gather other bathroom germs, and don’t store it in a travel case, where bacteria can thrive in the moisture. You can even clean your toothbrush in the dishwasher once in a while.
Your toothbrush
The human mouth contains about 100 million microbes per milliliter of saliva, Schmidt says. Those microbes eat the same food you do, and when you brush, food particles and bacteria stick to your toothbrush. The unhappy result: an overgrowth of germs on your brush.
Simple fix: After brushing, rinse your toothbrush with hot water and stand it up in a water glass to air-dry, says Margaret Lewin, MD, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Cornell University and medical director
of the insurance company Cinergy Health. Don’t lay it on the counter, where it can gather other bathroom germs, and don’t store it in a travel case, where bacteria can thrive in the moisture. You can even clean your toothbrush in the dishwasher once in a while.
Cleaning Tips
From Health.com newsletter
1. Kitchen sink, countertop, and sponges
There are lots of places for germs to hang out in the kitchen, including the drain in your sink (typically home to more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch), the countertop (a welcome mat for food crumbs and meat juices), and the sponges, rags, scrubbers, and towels you use for cleaning (roughly 70% harbor microbes like E. coli, the bacteria responsible for most urinary tract infections). But for every germy hot spot in the kitchen, there’s a smart and simple way to clean up.
Simple Fix: After you rinse or cook food, clean the sink, counters, and faucet with soap and water or an antibacterial cleanser. (Water washes germs away. A cleanser with bleach kills the germs.) It’s tempting to leave your cleaning implement—a damp rag or sponge—hanging around to use the next day, but that could create a germ breeding ground, says Michael G. Schmidt, PhD, professor and vice chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Instead, sanitize your sponge or brush in the dishwasher and your dishrags in the washing machine. To really disinfect the sink and drain, clean them twice a week with a solution of one tablespoon of bleach and one quart of water: scrub the basin, then pour the solution down the drain.
I have also heard that 1:30 minutes in the microwave will kill bacteria.
1. Kitchen sink, countertop, and sponges
There are lots of places for germs to hang out in the kitchen, including the drain in your sink (typically home to more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch), the countertop (a welcome mat for food crumbs and meat juices), and the sponges, rags, scrubbers, and towels you use for cleaning (roughly 70% harbor microbes like E. coli, the bacteria responsible for most urinary tract infections). But for every germy hot spot in the kitchen, there’s a smart and simple way to clean up.
Simple Fix: After you rinse or cook food, clean the sink, counters, and faucet with soap and water or an antibacterial cleanser. (Water washes germs away. A cleanser with bleach kills the germs.) It’s tempting to leave your cleaning implement—a damp rag or sponge—hanging around to use the next day, but that could create a germ breeding ground, says Michael G. Schmidt, PhD, professor and vice chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Instead, sanitize your sponge or brush in the dishwasher and your dishrags in the washing machine. To really disinfect the sink and drain, clean them twice a week with a solution of one tablespoon of bleach and one quart of water: scrub the basin, then pour the solution down the drain.
I have also heard that 1:30 minutes in the microwave will kill bacteria.
Mold
(U C Berkeley Wellness)
Sometimes I do question whether it is safe to eat something that may have a tiny bit of mold on it, my motto is 'when in doubt, throw it out'! The following is a helpful guide.
Can you cut off the bad art and eat the rest? Some molds are safe, some harmful. The molds that are an essential part of blue cheeses are safe, but the fuzzy molds on some foods can be toxic. Molds on grains are generally the worst. Mold toxins can't be destroyed by cooking.
Don't buy any produce with mold on it.
Keep foods refrigerated - that discourages mold.
Keep produce dry and wash it only when ready to eat it. Moisture promotes mold.
Throw out moldy bread and grain products, moldy meats, nuts, peanut butter or other type of nut butter, soft cheese, yogurt, jams, syrups, applesauce or other canned fruits, leftovers, and soft fruit such as melons or peaches.
Discard small fruits if moldy, if a few berries are moldy, it's OK to eat the rest but look them over carefully.
It's OK to cut a small area of mold out of a large hard fruit or vegetable, such as an apple, potato, cauliflower, or onion. But cut widely.
It's OK to cut mold off hard cheese which has less moisture, cut at least an inch away from the mold. Discard if very moldy.
Sometimes I do question whether it is safe to eat something that may have a tiny bit of mold on it, my motto is 'when in doubt, throw it out'! The following is a helpful guide.
Can you cut off the bad art and eat the rest? Some molds are safe, some harmful. The molds that are an essential part of blue cheeses are safe, but the fuzzy molds on some foods can be toxic. Molds on grains are generally the worst. Mold toxins can't be destroyed by cooking.
Don't buy any produce with mold on it.
Keep foods refrigerated - that discourages mold.
Keep produce dry and wash it only when ready to eat it. Moisture promotes mold.
Throw out moldy bread and grain products, moldy meats, nuts, peanut butter or other type of nut butter, soft cheese, yogurt, jams, syrups, applesauce or other canned fruits, leftovers, and soft fruit such as melons or peaches.
Discard small fruits if moldy, if a few berries are moldy, it's OK to eat the rest but look them over carefully.
It's OK to cut a small area of mold out of a large hard fruit or vegetable, such as an apple, potato, cauliflower, or onion. But cut widely.
It's OK to cut mold off hard cheese which has less moisture, cut at least an inch away from the mold. Discard if very moldy.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
PASTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE
I tried this new recipe with a wheat/gluten free pasta and it came out great! It is not as spicy as I usually make.
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 package of prosciutto, about 1/4 cup
1 onion 3/4 cup
1 bay leaf
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
3-5 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp chopped oil pack sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
parmesan cheese
Melt butter and oil. Saute onion, proscuitto, bay leaf, pepper flakes 5 minutes, add garlic, S & P, stir in tomato paste and sun dried tomatoes and cook another 2 minutes. Add wine and cook 2 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and simmer 30 minutes.
Boil pasta.
Remove bay leaf. I chose to use my hand blender to smooth out the sauce then add half and half and more S & P to your taste. Stir in basil. Ladle sauce over your favorite pasta and sprinkle with lots of Parmesan cheese.
I used a wheat free pasta which has a slightly chewier texture which we loved, it is made with brown rice.
We lapped up the sauce with our French bread! Hope you like it, please feel free to comment.
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 package of prosciutto, about 1/4 cup
1 onion 3/4 cup
1 bay leaf
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
3-5 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp chopped oil pack sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
parmesan cheese
Melt butter and oil. Saute onion, proscuitto, bay leaf, pepper flakes 5 minutes, add garlic, S & P, stir in tomato paste and sun dried tomatoes and cook another 2 minutes. Add wine and cook 2 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and simmer 30 minutes.
Boil pasta.
Remove bay leaf. I chose to use my hand blender to smooth out the sauce then add half and half and more S & P to your taste. Stir in basil. Ladle sauce over your favorite pasta and sprinkle with lots of Parmesan cheese.
I used a wheat free pasta which has a slightly chewier texture which we loved, it is made with brown rice.
We lapped up the sauce with our French bread! Hope you like it, please feel free to comment.
Food For Babies
This is a condensed summary about milk taken from 'Healing with Whole Foods"
Milk
During the first 6 months the ideal diet is nearly all mothers milk. Starting about 6 months, pureed vegetables and other foods are accepted and milk consumption may naturally and gradually decrease to 50% of the diet at the age of one year. Preferred milk choices are
1.Mothers milk
2.Organic goat's milk
3.Highest quality milk replacement formula
4.Organic unhomogenized cow's milk
Milk is best taken by itself. digestion in children and babies is highly responsive and sensitive.
Dairy Quality is a vital issue to consider. There is a high percentage of pesticides, hormones and antibotics found in animal milk.
For infant nutrition, mother's milk is nearly always superior. Avoid low-fat dairy; full-fat dairy aids utilization of fat soluable vitamins A & D for bone development and maintenance.
Milk does not combine well with other foods at the same meal. It is best taken alone, and should not be drunk cold.
Chlorophyll foods such as green vegetables increase the usefulness of dairy products. Commercially pasteurized milk should be brought to a boil to sterilize the milk to destroy bacteria and breaks down protein chains which makes it easier to assimilate and may cause fewer allergic reactions. Avoid homogenized milk.
Children with an intolerance to milk digest fermented or soured milk products more easily, as does everyone.
Milk of goat origin is usually more healthful than cow's milk.
Children should avoid dairy foods if they cause allergies or mucus problems.
Milk
During the first 6 months the ideal diet is nearly all mothers milk. Starting about 6 months, pureed vegetables and other foods are accepted and milk consumption may naturally and gradually decrease to 50% of the diet at the age of one year. Preferred milk choices are
1.Mothers milk
2.Organic goat's milk
3.Highest quality milk replacement formula
4.Organic unhomogenized cow's milk
Milk is best taken by itself. digestion in children and babies is highly responsive and sensitive.
Dairy Quality is a vital issue to consider. There is a high percentage of pesticides, hormones and antibotics found in animal milk.
For infant nutrition, mother's milk is nearly always superior. Avoid low-fat dairy; full-fat dairy aids utilization of fat soluable vitamins A & D for bone development and maintenance.
Milk does not combine well with other foods at the same meal. It is best taken alone, and should not be drunk cold.
Chlorophyll foods such as green vegetables increase the usefulness of dairy products. Commercially pasteurized milk should be brought to a boil to sterilize the milk to destroy bacteria and breaks down protein chains which makes it easier to assimilate and may cause fewer allergic reactions. Avoid homogenized milk.
Children with an intolerance to milk digest fermented or soured milk products more easily, as does everyone.
Milk of goat origin is usually more healthful than cow's milk.
Children should avoid dairy foods if they cause allergies or mucus problems.
Deepak Chopra article
Interesting article...
In today's society, it's normal to be on a multitude of medications to aid your health—but are all of those pills necessary? Deepak Chopra explains how you may have the power to heal your body with increased mind-body awareness.
Some years ago, while researching cases where patients spontaneously recovered from cancer—an occurrence that remains unexplained—I hit upon a striking fact. There is no consistent thing that such patients do, no single technique drug or alternative therapy. Some prayed, some became Buddhists, some turned to coffee enemas or grape juice. There was no consistency at all and no scientific evidence that a magical substance had been found.
But those who recovered against all odds did have one thing in common. At a certain point, people who are inexplicably cured know they are going to recover—their doubts and fears lift. With great conviction, they realize that they are no longer in danger. (To be clear, we are talking about a strong correlation, not a fact that applies to everyone.)
This certainty is like becoming your own placebo. What would that mean?
Placebo is Latin for "I shall please," which is a good way of describing how the placebo effect works. A doctor offers a patient a powerful drug with the assurance that it will relieve the patient's symptoms. (The effect isn't limited to drugs, however, which is important to remember. Anything you believe in can act as a placebo.) The patient, as promised, gets relief. But, in reality, the doctor has prescribed a harmless, inert substance like a sugar pill. Where did the patient's relief come from?
It came from the mind telling the body to get well. To do that, the mind must be convinced that healing is about to occur. The big problem with the placebo effect, which is known to operate in 30 percent of cases, on average, is that the first step is deception. The doctor is misleading the patient, and that has proven to be an enormous roadblock. No ethical physician would regularly deny best care to a patient, offering innocuous substitutes instead, even though in some cases (such as mild to moderate depression) some studies show that drugs are likely to be no more effective than a placebo. This means, by the way, that the unpredictability of the placebo effect is also shared by drugs. The notion that pharmaceuticals act the same way for all patients is an enormous myth.
Ask yourself the most important question: Can you be your own placebo without using deception? If you give yourself a sugar pill, you know in advance that it offers no relief. Is that the end of it?
By no means. Mind-body medicine depends on freeing the mind from its doubts so that people can attain wellness by knowing more about the mind-body connection, not less. Instead of using deception, which keeps the patient in the dark, we need healing based on more awareness—more light—in the patient's life.
To be your own placebo is the same as freeing up the healing power of the mind-body connection. Instead of wondering how 30 percent of patients benefit from the placebo effect, we need to shift our focus and ask about the 70 percent who don't.
Mind-body medicine will reach its full potential only when the following holds true:
* The mind contributes to getting well.
* The mind doesn't contribute to getting sick.
* The body is in constant communication with the mind.
* This communication benefits both the physical and mental aspects of being well.
That's the vision we need. In my next piece, I'll discuss how each of these requirements can be fulfilled.
In today's society, it's normal to be on a multitude of medications to aid your health—but are all of those pills necessary? Deepak Chopra explains how you may have the power to heal your body with increased mind-body awareness.
Some years ago, while researching cases where patients spontaneously recovered from cancer—an occurrence that remains unexplained—I hit upon a striking fact. There is no consistent thing that such patients do, no single technique drug or alternative therapy. Some prayed, some became Buddhists, some turned to coffee enemas or grape juice. There was no consistency at all and no scientific evidence that a magical substance had been found.
But those who recovered against all odds did have one thing in common. At a certain point, people who are inexplicably cured know they are going to recover—their doubts and fears lift. With great conviction, they realize that they are no longer in danger. (To be clear, we are talking about a strong correlation, not a fact that applies to everyone.)
This certainty is like becoming your own placebo. What would that mean?
Placebo is Latin for "I shall please," which is a good way of describing how the placebo effect works. A doctor offers a patient a powerful drug with the assurance that it will relieve the patient's symptoms. (The effect isn't limited to drugs, however, which is important to remember. Anything you believe in can act as a placebo.) The patient, as promised, gets relief. But, in reality, the doctor has prescribed a harmless, inert substance like a sugar pill. Where did the patient's relief come from?
It came from the mind telling the body to get well. To do that, the mind must be convinced that healing is about to occur. The big problem with the placebo effect, which is known to operate in 30 percent of cases, on average, is that the first step is deception. The doctor is misleading the patient, and that has proven to be an enormous roadblock. No ethical physician would regularly deny best care to a patient, offering innocuous substitutes instead, even though in some cases (such as mild to moderate depression) some studies show that drugs are likely to be no more effective than a placebo. This means, by the way, that the unpredictability of the placebo effect is also shared by drugs. The notion that pharmaceuticals act the same way for all patients is an enormous myth.
Ask yourself the most important question: Can you be your own placebo without using deception? If you give yourself a sugar pill, you know in advance that it offers no relief. Is that the end of it?
By no means. Mind-body medicine depends on freeing the mind from its doubts so that people can attain wellness by knowing more about the mind-body connection, not less. Instead of using deception, which keeps the patient in the dark, we need healing based on more awareness—more light—in the patient's life.
To be your own placebo is the same as freeing up the healing power of the mind-body connection. Instead of wondering how 30 percent of patients benefit from the placebo effect, we need to shift our focus and ask about the 70 percent who don't.
Mind-body medicine will reach its full potential only when the following holds true:
* The mind contributes to getting well.
* The mind doesn't contribute to getting sick.
* The body is in constant communication with the mind.
* This communication benefits both the physical and mental aspects of being well.
That's the vision we need. In my next piece, I'll discuss how each of these requirements can be fulfilled.
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