Archive for the ‘General’ Category

9
Dec

Healthy Eating Habits – Are Pesticides Yummy?

   Posted by: Lita Tags: , , ,

 

In the early 1980s you could find me teaching myself Yoga and shopping in health food stores (although there weren’t many of them back then).  My friends and family thought I was nuts.  I was also buying environmentally friendly cleaning products.  I once invited my Mom to a meeting so she could learn more about the products.  At the time, this type of thinking was non-conventional.  She actually thought I was involved in a cult!! 

Back then I was also practicing healthy eating habits by washing my fruits and vegetables in a cleaning solution.There is mounting evidence in the scientific journals regarding the invasive ways in which small doses of pesticides affect humans.  This is particularly so while in the critical stages of fetal development and childhood where the results of exposure in the long term  may be unknown  Also, consider those that have compromised immune systems and the elderly who may not eat properly to begin with.  Why take chances?  Why not practice healthy eating habits and lessen the risk as much as possible for yourself and your family?

 These days we now have organic produce to choose from.  The Organic industry embraces an ecological means to farming.  This means farmers are unable to rely on, or permit the usage of, toxic substances, synthetic pesticides, irradiation, genetically modified organisms, sewage sludge, antibiotics or chemical fertilizers.  Although produce that is “certified organic” will cost you more it may be your best bet for serving your family pesticide-free food.  

Consider the following 3 steps to healthy eating habits:

  1. If you can buy organic then do so.  Buying organic is expensive and many people are unable to afford to shop this way but don’t despair – read on.
  2. Purchasing in-season, locally grown produce from your community retailers will help you reduce your risk of exposure to preservatives that are used in food transported over long distances.  These include waxes, irradiation, gases, synthetic chemicals like fungicides and sprout inhibitors that will lessen the nutritional quality of your foods while having a negative effect on your health.
  3. Whether you buy organic or not, do practice healthy eating habits by washing your fruits and vegetables.  Over 70% of conventional produce samples have traces of pesticides and chemical residue.  A major problem lies in the fact that most pesticides and chemicals will penetrate the skin of the fruit and contaminate the inside. In spite of this, it is still a wise choice to thoroughly wash produce to remove superficial dirt and reduce the risk of spreading bacterial illnesses such as salmonella.  You will still have the potential for exposure to harmful pesticides that have penetrated the interior of the vegetable or fruit but at least you are doing what you can to reduce your risk.   For washing your produce look for an environmentally friendly cleaning product that is biodegradable, contains no phosphates and comes with the green seal certification or try the following homemade solution recommended by Kendra of handprints on the wall:

Produce Spray – Makes about 2 cups

  •  1 cup water
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
  • 20 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract
  • Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir slowly and carefully as the combination of vinegar and baking soda causes quite a bit of foaming.  Once the bubbles have gone down, pour the solution into a spray bottle.  Spray on produce before eating.  Let sit 10 minutes before rinsing well.
  • *Note: Don’t ever soak mushrooms in this solution as they will only absorb it.

Arm yourself with the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce produced by The Environmental Working Group.  This will give you a ranking of contamination found in 44 popular fruits and vegetables.  For example, peaches have the highest pesticide score followed by apples and sweet bell peppers.  This is not meant to force us to eliminate our favorite foods from our selection.  This is meant to help us with healthy eating habits and wise choices.  Armed with this list when you are shopping you can use the guide to shop for organic alternatives to the conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that are likely to contain the most residues of pesticides.  As organic food can be very expensive this list will help you choose conventionally grown food with the lowest residue of pesticide.  You can choose from the best of both worlds while keeping your family healthy and keeping your costs down.

The Environmental Working Group has also listed the “Dirty Dozen” contaminated fruits and vegetables and they believe that by switching those with the least contaminated or organic versions then people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 90 percent.

The key is to reduce the exposure that you and your family have to pesticides.  If you are able then buy organic.  In the alternative, try to substitute the most highly sprayed fruits and vegetables with organically grown and continue to buy conventional fruits and vegetables for the remainder of your needs.  Fruits and vegetables that you purchase in conventional form should be thoroughly washed and peeled in order to remove, as much as possible, the surface chemical residues.

By adding these suggested methods to your healthy eating habits and washing your fruits and vegetables you will do more to reduce your family’s risk of exposure to harmful substances than by doing nothing at all.

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29
Nov

How To Deal With The Infection Of Genital Warts

   Posted by: author1 Tags: , , , ,

types of HPV

Today, there are many different sexually transmitted diseases that individuals who are sexually active need to be aware of. One of them is the threat of different types of HPV and genital warts. While there are many other types of HPV infections and sexually transmitted diseases, these warts can become a serious issue and is one of the most common of those sexual diseases out there.

When learning about genital warts, one should know that they can be transmitted by both females and males. Because of the nature of the woman’s body, these warts are far more prevalent in females. Men however, can end up becoming carriers of the warts, which are derived from HPV, otherwise known as the Human Papilloma Virus. Today, there are a variety of treatments for this sexually transmitted disease, including a vaccination that can help prevent them from spreading.

In some of the more rare cases, it has been seen that the Human Papilloma Virus (genital warts) have been spread during unclean practices. Some reports have shown that medical equipment that has not been properly cleaned and/or sanitized can lead to the transmission of the disease. While this has been shown, it remains true that the most common transmission of the virus is through sexual contact with an infected person.

If you are a woman who has been involved in sexual relations with a partner who has the Human Papilloma Virus, then you should know that your infection might not stop with you. Women who have become pregnant have passed these warts off to their children during childbirth. Once this happens, the newborn can get infected in such areas where the virus can thrive, including their mouth and throat.

Practicing safe sex should always be on the mind of those who are sexually active. The HPV virus cannot be cured; however, the genital warts that the virus causes can be treated. The medications that are used to treat the virus will cause the warts to appear less often, yet is also important to remember that even if you are not having an outbreak of the warts that are associated with the HPV virus, you can still pass it on to someone else. This is just one more reason why protecting yourself and others, when having sex, is very important.

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26
Nov

Laughter Therapy

   Posted by: Lita Tags: ,

I’m addicted.  Is this a bad thing? I absolutely MUST get some laughs in every day. Lately, I’ve been enjoying laughs between 11:00 pm and 12:00 pm watching my favorite TV comedy sitcom.  You would think, at this time of day, I would have complete freedom to just sit and have a good laugh.  I can’t believe it when my 18 year old daughter gives me one word answers to my friendly questions during the day (in other words mostly ignores me) then thinks nothing of dropping major bombshells on me during my sacred time of humour.

–         11:10 pm – Mom, I have to have $250 no later than 9:00 am in the morning to pay for the deposit on that course at University. I respond –  Huh? What course are you talking about and when did you tell me about this?

–         11:20 pm – Mom, I have a lump the size of a golf ball on my leg.  It’s been there for months.  My boyfriend’s Mother has a hernia and she has the same symptom and now I’m worried so I’m leaving immediately and I’m going to the hospital emergency department. I respond – WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? – Why didn’t you go to a clinic during the day? Why haven’t I heard about this before?

–         11:30 pm – Mom, my boyfriend just doesn’t understand me and we had a big fight two days ago and now all of our friends are taking his side and no one loves or respects me (tears flowing) – I respond – Mute the TV and while continually glancing at it I try to find some sympathy and understanding for this problem that I have heard so many times over and over during the years

–         11:40 pm – Mom, I’m starting a new diet tomorrow and here is a list of all the foods that I will need starting with breakfast in the morning plus I’m buying a juicer for my diet. It costs $200.  Can you help me pay for it?  I respond – PLEASE can we please talk about this tomorrow?

–         11:50 pm – Mom, I have to have a full length, black evening dress, with sleeves, for my Choir concert on Friday night.  When can we go shopping for it?  Oh, and my car has been making a banging noise for the last week or so.  It’s getting really bad – what should we do about it?  I respond – Why didn’t you tell me these things before, like all day today or yesterday or the day before, when I wasn’t indulging in my very best hobby of humour?

I have read that laughter relaxes the body and reduces problems associated with high blood pressure, strokes, ulcers and even arthritis.   I’ve also read that laughter decreases stress hormones while producing a general sense of well-being.  Remember the saying “laughter is the best medicine”? Humour is one of the most powerful tools that we can use to heal ourselves and reduce tension in our lives while building bonds and creating rapport with others. 

Considering I live with a teenager, humour could be a necessity in my life irrespective of my desire for it.  Do you have a good sense of humour and the ability to laugh at stressful situations? If so, these qualities will go a long way in helping to mitigate the damaging physical effects that distressing emotions may cause.  These days I fight the gray hair, wrinkles and teenage bombshells in whatever way that I can.  This includes good quality supplements, lots of physical activity and, my favorite, a daily dose of laughter.

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