Quiche Basics

A quiche is a great dish that everyone should be able to prepare. It is so easy and offers such variety that it will quickly broaden your cooking repertoire. Quiche is basically an egg custard, that is, a combination of egg and some liquid, and whatever flavorings you care to add. In general, for each large egg you use, add enough liquid to the egg to equal 1/2 cup. So for a 9-inch crust, you might use three large eggs and add enough liquid to reach 1-1/2 cups. (That may seem like a modest amount of filling, but you don't want to overfill the quiche, as you're aiming for balance between the taste of the crust and the custard.) After that, the sky's the limit — add cheese, bacon, shrimp, lobster, crab, anchovies, spinach, sausage, tomato, precooked asparagus, eggplant, broccoli, onions, leeks, or other vegetables.

For the liquid, the choice is yours. A traditional quiche is made with heavy cream and is certainly rich. But you can substitute half and half, whole milk, or even skim milk. For seasoning, add a little salt and pepper, and nutmeg or tarragon in delicate quiches, or oregano, cayenne, or sage with more robust ingredients, such as sausage. As to the crust, homemade is lovely, and not particularly challenging. But with frozen pie crusts at hand in your freezer, the production of a quiche is child's play. Preheat the oven and prebake the shell (according to the instructions) while you're putting the custard together. Remove the shell from the oven, add the filling, and bake. If you're up to making a crust from scratch, try one of the crust links below. Bake the quiche in a 375°F oven (190°C) for 30 to 35 minutes. The filling should puff up a bit and be lightly browned.
Copied from http://www.ochef.com/315.htm

Basic Soup Recipe

Prep: 20 minutes, Cook: 50 minutes Makes: 28 cups 1 lb. carrots, sliced 3 med. onions (1½ lbs.), chopped (4 c.) 4 lg. stalks celery, sliced 2 lg. cloves garlic, crushed with press 2 cans (28 oz. each) whole tomatoes in juice 1/2 sm. head green cabbage (1 lb.) thinly sliced (6 c.) 3/4 lb. green beans, trimmed and each cut into thirds 1 can (48 to 49 oz.) chicken broth 6 c. water Salt and pepper 3 med. zucchini (1 1/4 lbs.), sliced into half-moons 2 bags (6 oz. each) baby spinach leaves 1. Coat 12-quart stockpot (or 2 large saucepans) with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables soften, stirring occasionally. 2. Add tomatoes with their liquid, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add cabbage, green beans, broth, water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. 3. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high; stir in zucchini and spinach and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. TIP: Make a big pot of this basic soup. Then each night of the week, you’ll mix two cups with extra ingredients to create a totally new soup, from Southwest Chili to Greek Fish Stew, in 20 minutes or less. You can even freeze the soup in serving sized containers so adding variety is quick and easy. Each cup: About 45 calories, 2 g protein

EATING FRUIT

We all think eating fruit means just buying fruit, cutting it up and popping it into our mouths. It's not that easy. It's important to know how and when to eat fruit.

What's the correct way to eat fruit?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUIT AFTER A MEAL! FRUIT SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.

Eating fruit like that plays a major role in detoxifying your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.

Let's say you eat two slices of bread, then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it's prevented from doing so.

In the meantime, the whole meal rots and ferments, and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach, and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.

Eat your fruit on an empty stomach, or before your meal! You've heard people complain: Every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc. This will not happen if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. Fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas. Hence, you bloat!

There's no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruit becomes alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruit, you have the Secret of Beauty, Longevity, Health, Energy, Happiness, and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT the concentrated juice from the cans. Don't drink juice that has been heated. Don't eat cooked fruit; you don't get the nutrients at all. You get only the taste. Cooking destroys all of the vitamins.

Eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit-fast to cleanse your body. Eat fruit and drink fruit juice for just 3 days, and you will be surprised when your friends say how radiant you look!

KIWI: Tiny but mighty, and a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange!

AN APPLE a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants and flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C, thereby helping to lower the risk of colon cancer, heart attack and stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits and protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

EATING 2 - 4 ORANGES a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent and dissolve kidney stones, and reduce the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. Also a key source of lycopene, the cancer-fighting oxidant. Also found in watermelon: Vitamin C and Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, good for your eyes.

Courtesy of: From YOU: On a Diet, by RealAge experts Michael F. Roizen, MD, and Mehmet C. Oz, MD

Can you read this

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Quotes

What others think of us would be of little moment did it not, when known, so deeply tinge what we think of ourselves.
- Paul Valery

I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this.
  - Emo Phillips

It is okay, it is biodegrable, so it isn't littering, right?

It has come to my attention that not everyone (including someone close to me) understands what an effect they have on the environment when they throw food on the ground and walk away. The claim I heard is "It is biodegradable, so it isn't littering." That makes no sense to me. I find that attitude to be like "Someone else will clean up my mess." This is the same attitude that got us into the environmental mess in the first place.

Let's assume for a minute that biodegradable in this argument means in the soil where the necessary bacteria and other microorganisms.

Below is a list of some common items that fall under this argument

Most directions for making a home compost pile advise against adding hard-to-break-down food waste, such as cherry seeds. Cherry and other fruit pits can take up to 10 years to completely decompose. Reference

Banana Peel 2-5 weeks Reference Reference 2 Reference 3

Apple Core 2 months Reference

A cigarette takes 3-10 months to mostly decompose and some say it can take up to as much as twelve years; however, the filter which is made of acetate will NEVER fully break down. Reference Cigarette butts: 1-12 years Reference

Paper: 2-5 weeks Reference
Orange peels: 6 months Reference
Cotton rags 1-5 months Reference
Plastic or cardboard milk carton: 5 years Reference

Okay, so you may be thinking to yourself, that isn't bad. Well consider this. If you properly bury the materials these times are about right. However, if you put them in a landfill they process is greatly slowed down. To the tune of decades and tens of decades before they biodegrade. Researchers have found 25-year old apple cores and newspapers in near perfect condition, found in landfills with garbage from thousands of other households. Reference

Here is the reality of what happens.

What happens when you throw something in the street of your favorite city you may be wondering. Here are some options.

1. It gets washed down a storm drain by a rain. I live in Arizona, so not likely. This can clog, pollute, and create other crazy problems depending on the stuff that makes it into the storm drain.

2. A street sweep comes by and picks it up. This eventually ends up in the landfill where we don't want it either, but not any worse than putting it in your household trash.

3. It may be blown away by the wind if it is small or light enough. Sign me up to inhale trash or watch trash go tumbling down the street. That always makes me feel good about where I live.

Let's assume that you think it is ok to pay taxes to have street sweepers sweep up your mess. Maybe there should be an item on everyone's tax return that the abusers can check to INCREASE their tax because someone has to pay for using the landfill, the street sweepers, the guys that drive the sweepers, the guys that compact the trash, etc. How many people do you think would check that box on their tax return. NONE. Nothing is free in this world. There is a cost for everything. Take care of your own trash.

Let's assume there was no cost to clean it up. Let's assume it biodegrades in a couple of weeks. Well, we need a place for it to biodegrade. I suggest the front yards of all the people that want to throw it on the ground in the first place. I would love to hear their argument when their entire front yard is covered with all the stuff that is just biodegrading. My comment to them would be, "Don't worry it will biodegrade in two weeks if you are lucky. Be sure to turn it so it does that properly. Otherwise it may take a lot longer. Don't mind the smell or the flies or other insects that it attracts. This is natures way after all. Oh and be sure everything is 100 natural. Even then extreme concentrations of anything can become toxic. I hope you aren't doing any home growing in your yard. I don't think I want to eat a carrot from 5 million melted hard candies and gum (yes it is just a made up number, but we have a big city). Better yet, how about they drive around with this stuff in their cars. I bet they'll make some friends.

I write this after being quite pissed off at how people treat our planet. The tone of this is harsh, but I think people need to think and understand the implications of their actions. I'll admit I don't compost, but I do reuse then recycle, and I try not to waste much of anything. Someday I would like to try composting, but in the meantime I'll settle for just picking up my own mess and not making it somebody else's problem. If we all did that our streets would look a lot better. Who knows maybe the IRS will give us a credit if we can prove we pick up our own trash instead of throwing it on the ground. (yeah right ;)

FOCUS ON WELLNESS – Guidelines Call for More Exercise, Fewer Calories

The revised Dietary Guidelines have put an even greater emphasis on the need to manage weight to prevent obesity and chronic disease.

Struggling to lose weight? Don't exercise enough? You're not alone. According to the latest research, almost two out of three Americans are overweight or obese, and one half don't get enough exercise. And that puts them at greater risk of chronic disease. In response, the government's Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has revised its recommendations. It now places more emphasis on strategies to manage weight. The national guidelines are generally for healthy people and are not for those on restricted or special diets. Here is a summary:

Physical activity

There is no doubt that exercise can help control weight and lower risk of disease. Just be sure to check with your doctor before you start any exercise program. Here are the recommendations:

· To reduce your risk for chronic disease: Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week. "Moderate" exercise is any physical activity that uses as much energy as walking two miles in a half hour.

· To manage body weight or prevent weight gain: Sixty minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise most days of the week.

· To sustain weight loss: Sixty to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day.

· All physical activity programs should include: Cardiovascular, strength training and flexibility exercises.

Healthy eating

To prevent weight gain, most adults need to eat less and exercise more. Reduced portions and balanced, regular meals are essential. New guidelines focus on:

• Eating a variety of foods

• Lowering total calories from fats and sweets

• Increasing nutrient-rich foods.

Specifically: Carbohydrates Increase intake of fruits, vegetables, beans, low-fat dairy and grains. Cut down on your intake of processed carbs from sweets and refined flour products.

• Eat more fruits and vegetables. Loaded with nutrients, they are also helpful for weight loss.

• Get more whole grains. Whole-grain foods are rich in nutrients, including protein, vitamins and minerals.

• Choose low-fat dairy by replacing whole milk products with fat-free or low-fat alternatives.

• Include more legumes (beans, lentils, split peas). These foods contain carbs and protein, and are rich in fiber and other vital nutrients.

• Avoid foods and beverages with added sugars, including corn syrups and other sweeteners.

Fats

Aim to keep your fat intake to 30 percent or less of your total calories. This is the equivalent of 66 grams of fat (about 600 calories) on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet. No more than 10 percent of your calories should be from saturated fats. Follow these tips for reducing fat and cholesterol:

• Cut down on high-fat meat and dairy products. Eat only lean cuts of meat and trim away excess fat and skin from poultry.

• Avoid fried and "fast" foods. These tend to be prepared in oils made of saturated (animal) fats.

• Avoid snack foods and baked goods that list saturated fats as one of the first ingredients. Also avoid those made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or vegetable shortening. These are sources of trans fatty acids, which raise your risk of heart disease.

• Choose healthy fats. Use olive oil or canola oil. Eat small amounts of nuts and seeds, fatty fish (such as salmon and sardines) and avocado.

Sodium and potassium

Keep salt to less than 2,300 mg of sodium (about one teaspoon of table salt) per day. Avoid foods with added salt. Eat more fruits and vegetables that are rich in potassium, such as fruits and vegetables, beans and low-fat dairy.

Alcoholic beverages

If you choose to drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.

• For men: Up to two drinks per day

• For women: Up to one drink per day

• Those who should not drink alcohol at all: Children, teens, women who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, people on medications that can interact with alcohol and those with substance abuse problems

Written By Jane Harrison

DASH Diet to Lower Blood Pressure

What you eat has a lot to do with good blood pressure control. Find out what delicious foods to include in your diet to help combat high blood pressure.

Want to lower your blood pressure? Try the DASH eating plan, short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

If your first thought is that the DASH is bland and boring, think again. The DASH is as much about adding tasty, nutrient-rich foods as it is about limiting fats and sugars.

What the studies say

Two large studies, both supported by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, have offered proof that DASH works.

The first study looked at the effects on blood pressure of eating a varied, wholesome diet versus the typical American diet.

· Results showed that compared to the typical American diet, blood pressure could be lowered by eating combinations of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.

· DASH eaters also ate reduced amounts of fats, red meats, sweets and sugared beverages.

· Noteworthy is that blood pressures were reduced on the DASH, even though this first study did not restrict sodium intake.

The second study then looked at the added effect of a reduced sodium intake on blood pressure as people followed either the DASH eating plan or a typical American diet.

· Results showed that reducing sodium lowered blood pressure even further for those already on the DASH eating plan. It also lowered pressures for those on the typical American diet.

The biggest benefits were seen in people on the DASH eating plan who also lowered their sodium intake.

How the DASH works

Experts believe the DASH works for these reasons:

· By choosing fruits and vegetables, you’re more likely to cut out high-sodium, processed foods.

· The DASH diet is rich in calcium, potassium, fiber and magnesium. A lack of these nutrients is linked to high blood pressure.

· DASH is low in saturated and trans fats, which are known to raise blood pressure.

· Instead of supplements, the DASH focuses on combinations of healthy foods, which work together in your body to help lower blood pressure.

So what exactly IS the DASH eating plan? Specifically, it includes the following:

Daily servings:

• Seven to eight servings of grains, from mostly whole grains

• Four to five servings of vegetables

• Four to five servings of fruit

• Two to three servings of low-fat dairy foods

• No more than two servings of lean meat, poultry and fish

• Two to three servings of fats and oils

Weekly servings:

• Four to five servings of nuts, seeds and dry beans

• No more than five servings of sweets

Fitting the DASH into your lifestyle

You can work these DASH nutrient-foods into your meal plan in these ways:

Up your vegetable intake

•  Add a variety of veggies to lunch or dinnertime salads and soups.

•  Have cut-up veggies such as carrots, colored peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and celery for snacks, with a low-fat yogurt dip.

•  Increase vegetable portions of casseroles and stir-fries while decreasing meat portions.

•  Add beans/legumes to salads, soups and casseroles.

Go whole-grain

•  Choose whole-grain breads, cereals and pastas.

•  Instead of white rice or potatoes, experiment with brown rice, quinoa, barley and bulgur.

Go nutty

•  Sprinkle nuts into whole-grain cereal, yogurt or salads.

•  Add natural peanut or almond butter to whole-grain bread with sliced banana.

•  Snack on small amounts of nuts and dried fruit.

Do it with dairy

•  Use skim or low-fat milk in smoothies with fresh fruit and 100 percent juice.

•  Add skim or low-fat milk to coffee for lattes.

•  Choose low-fat yogurt for breakfast or snacks.

•  Use low-fat cheese on whole-grain bread, sprinkled on salads, or topped on a baked potato with broccoli.

DASH isn’t just for people with high blood pressure. It’s an overall healthy, wholesome, high-fiber eating plan than can also help reduce cholesterol levels and aid in weight loss.

Taken from myOptumHealth.com

5 Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure Without Medication

Hypertension strikes one in three American adults. Learn the top lifestyle strategies that can make a real impact on lowering your blood pressure.

About one in every three American adults has hypertension, or high blood pressure. Medication is often prescribed, but that’s not the only solution. There are many lifestyle strategies that have also been shown to have an impact. For some, weight loss combined with exercise and a healthy eating plan may even reduce or eliminate the need for medication altogether.

Your doctor can help you decide whether to take a combined approach (medication plus lifestyle) or whether to try following these healthy lifestyle strategies first:

1. Increase exercise. Aerobic exercise can lower blood pressure and can also help with weight loss. It doesn’t take a time-consuming workout in a gym to reap the benefits, either.

• As few as 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week has been shown to be effective.

• Aerobic activities such as walking, biking, swimming and water aerobics often produce the best results.

• Before you start an exercise program, ask your doctor what type and amount of exercise is right for you.

2. Cut your salt intake. One teaspoon (2,400 mg) is the maximum recommended daily amount. Reducing this to two thirds of a teaspoon (1,500 mg) can make a big difference.

• Check labels of food and over-the-counter medication for their sodium content.

• Use herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods.

• Avoid processed foods such as canned and frozen ready-to-eat foods, cheeses and luncheon meats.

3. Eat a healthy diet. Follow the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) guidelines. This has been shown to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, even without other interventions.

• The DASH diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. It restricts intake of saturated fats, red meat and sugar.

• The increased fiber, potassium, calcium and magnesium from these foods are all thought to play a role in reducing blood pressure.

4. Lose weight. For every two pounds of weight loss, you can lower your systolic pressure by one point and your diastolic pressure by 1.4 points.

• Gradual weight loss of one to two pounds per week is most effective.

• Keep a food journal to track exactly what and how much you eat.

• Choose foods low in saturated fat, cholesterol, trans fats and refined sugar.

• Watch your portion sizes.

• Do not skip meals. Eating three meals a day plus snacks is essential in weight management.

• Aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily, which will fill you up and curb your hunger.

5. Limit alcohol. Drinking a lot of alcohol can raise blood pressure.

• This means no more than one drink a day for women, two drinks for men.

• One drink is the equivalent of 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or two ounces of hard liquor.

• You can also help yourself to relax and cope better with stress from your busy life with these techniques:

Simplify. Try to cut out activities that eat up your time but deliver little value. Learn to say “no.” Clean out your house, car and garage of things that you no longer need. Let go of the relationships that complicate your life more than they add.

Take a deep breath. Making a conscious effort to deepen and slow down your breathing can help you relax.

Exercise. Physical activity is a natural stress-buster.

Get plenty of sleep. Being sleep-deprived can make your problems seem bigger than they really are.

The key is to discover what works for you. Choose your strategies, take action, and start enjoying the benefits. You can lower your blood pressure and help prevent other chronic diseases at the same time.

 

How to reduce your risk

To prevent complications, follow your high blood pressure treatment plan as directed by your doctor:

• Take all medications as prescribed. Never stop taking a medicine without talking to your doctor first. Blood pressure medication can cut your risk of heart failure and other complications in half.

• Reach or maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, lose weight. A weight loss of just 10 pounds can help lower blood pressure.

• Follow the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Studies show that the DASH diet helps control high blood pressure. The diet is rich in vegetables, fruit and low-fat dairy. Foods high in saturated and total fat and cholesterol are limited.

• Limit sodium (salt) intake. Eating a diet low in salt can help keep your blood pressure in check. Keep sodium intake to less than 2,400 mg per day.

• Get active. Work up to 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Check with your doctor before you start or increase your level of exercise.

• Avoid alcohol. Drinking too much or too often raises the risk for high blood pressure.

• Don’t smoke. If you do, quit.

Taken from myOptumHealth.com

Strawberry Spring Salad

What better menu choice for spring days. Enjoy this light and fruity springtime salad.

3 T White wine vinegar

3 T water

1 T honey

1 T extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp pepper

3 Cups quartered strawberries

1 bag (10 oz.) Italian-blend salad greens (about 6 cups)

4 tsp. toasted pine nuts

Directions:

Combine first six ingredients and stir well with a whisk. Combine strawberries and greens. Add vinegar mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with nuts.

Yield: 4 Servings

Nutrition facts:

Calories: 110 Fat: 4/5 g

Carbohydrate: 14/3 g Sodium: 76 mg

Protein: 4/5 g Fiber: 3/5 g

What to know about Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure, it’s critical that you follow your prescribed treatment plan. Here’s why.

If you’re among the one in three Americans who has high blood pressure (hypertension), take note: it’s not something you can afford to ignore.

High blood pressure typically has no symptoms. Since symptoms can be strong motivators, it can be tough to make lifestyle changes or see the need for treatment when you feel fine. But here’s why you need to follow “doctor’s orders.” High blood pressure is a “silent killer” and not treating it can have serious consequences.

What high blood pressure does to your body

Blood pressure is the force of blood that travels through your arteries. If pressure is too high, it can damage your blood vessels and organs in your body. The higher your blood pressure is, and the longer it stays untreated, the greater your risk for serious medical problems, including:

• Heart failure. High blood pressure puts extra demand on the heart. Over time, the heart grows bigger to make up for the extra work and it eventually weakens. Heart failure occurs when the weakened heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. High blood pressure is the biggest predictor of heart failure. One study found that 90 percent of people with heart failure had high blood pressure.
• Heart attack. High blood pressure can damage the arteries that carry blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. If these vessels become narrowed and damaged, a blood clot can form and lead to a heart attack.
• Stroke. The biggest risk factor for stroke is high blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage arteries that supply blood to the brain. A clot can form and block the artery and prevent blood flow to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure can also cause arteries in the brain to burst. This also results in another type of stroke called hemorrhagic or bleeding stroke.
• Kidney damage. High blood pressure can damage the arteries that supply the kidneys. This leads to kidney damage and kidney failure. This is especially dangerous because kidney damage raises blood pressure even more.
• Vision problems. High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels that supply the eye. The blood vessels can burst or bleed, causing blurry vision and blindness.
• Memory loss. High blood pressure can restrict blood flow to the brain. If too little blood reaches the brain, the brain cannot work well. One study found that this may lead to memory loss.

Taken from: myOptumHealth.com

We found this sweet golden brown and white, 40lb, boxer mix in our front yard this morning. She was with a black Rotty, but it got away before we could get it. This one came right up to us and is the sweetest dog. We hope to find its owner soon. It only will eat dog food. How amazing. The dog is full grown and has an excellent temperment. I would guess that it is a fairly mature dog. It will be sad to see it go, but it deserves to have its owners back.

Stress Management Strategies

FOCUS ON WELLNESS – Stress Management Strategies

Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate. Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress · Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress. · Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely. · Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. · Avoid hot-button topics – If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion. · Pare down your to-do list – If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them. Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life. · Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. · Be willing to compromise. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground. · Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. · Manage your time better. If you plan ahead and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under. Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude. · Reframe problems. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time. · Look at the big picture. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere. · Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. · Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. Adjusting Your Attitude How you think can have a profound affect on your emotional and physical well-being. Each time you think a negative thought about yourself, your body reacts as if it were in the throes of a tension-filled situation. If you see good things about yourself, you are more likely to feel good; the reverse is also true. Eliminate words such as "always," "never," "should," and "must." These are telltale marks of self-defeating thoughts. Source: National Victim Assistance Academy, U.S. Department of Justice Stress management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t change Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change. · Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems. · Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes. · Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation. · Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on. Stress management strategy #5: Make time for fun and relaxation Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come. Healthy ways to relax and recharge Go for a walk. Spend time in nature. Call a good friend. Sweat out tension with a good workout. Write in your journal. Take a long bath. Light scented candles Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea. Play with a pet. Work in your garden. Get a massage. Curl up with a good book. Listen to music. Watch a comedy Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury. · Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries. · Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress. · Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike. · Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

Taken from: © HEALTHGUIDE.ORG, Understanding, Preventing, & Resolving Life’s Challenges

Warning Signs of Excessive Stress

Warning Signs of Excessive Stress

When people feel overwhelmed, they lose confidence and become irritable or withdrawn, making them less productive and effective and their work less rewarding. If the warning signs of stress go unattended, they can lead to bigger problems. Beyond interfering with job performance and satisfaction, chronic or intense stress can also lead to physical and emotional health problems.

Signs and Symptoms of Excessive Stress

Feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed Apathy, loss of interest in work. Problems sleeping Fatigue Trouble concentrating

Muscle tension or headaches Stomach problems Social withdrawal Loss of sex drive Using alcohol or drugs to cope

Reducing stress by taking care of yourself

When stress on the job is interfering with your ability to work, care for yourself, or manage your personal life, it’s time to take action. Start by paying attention to your physical and emotional health. When your own needs are taken care of, you’re stronger and more resilient to stress. The better you feel, the better equipped you’ll be to manage work stress without becoming overwhelmed.

Taking care of yourself doesn’t require a total lifestyle overhaul. Even small things can lift your mood, increase your energy, and make you feel like you’re back in the driver’s seat. Take things one step at a time, and as you make more positive lifestyle choices, you’ll soon notice a noticeable difference in your stress level, both at home at work.

Get moving

Aerobic exercise –perspiring -is an effective anti-anxiety treatment lifting mood, increasing energy, sharpening focus and relaxing mind and body. For maximum stress relief, try to get at least 30 minutes of heart pounding activity on most days but activity can be broken up into two or three short segments.

Quick Hands-On Stress Relief

1. Got a minute: Get a massage – a self-massage, that is. these moves will relieve tension around your head, neck, shoulders and hands:
2. The scalp soother. Place thumbs behind your ears and spread fingers on top of your head. Move your scalp back and forth slightly by making circles with your fingertips for 15-20 seconds.
3. The eye easer. Close your eyes and place your ring fingers directly under your eyebrows, near the bridge of your nose. Slowly increase pressure for five seconds, then gently release. Repeat 2-3 times.
4. The shoulder saver. Place your left hand on the right side of your neck by your shoulder. Press fingers firmly into the muscle while tucking your chin in toward your chest. Exhale and hold for 10 seconds, release, then repeat on the left side
5. The palm pleaser. Lace your fingers together, leaving thumbs free. Slowly knead your left thumb into the palm of your right hand for 20-30 seconds. Then repeat on your left hand.

Taken from HealthGuide.Org

Make Every Day Earth Day

April 22, 2010 marked the 40^th Anniversary of Earth Day. But every day can be Earth Day if each of us does our part to preserve the environment.

Did you know?

• The garbage in a landfill stays for about 30 years.
• Each person throws away approximately four pounds of garbage every day.
• One bus carries as many people as 40 cars!
• More than 1/3 of all energy is used by people at home
• Most families throw away about 88 pounds of plastic every year
• We each use about 12,000 gallons of water every year
• 1/3 of all water is used to flush the toilet.
• The 500 million automobiles on earth burn an average of 2 gallons of fuel a day.
• Each gallon of fuel releases 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air.
• Approximately 5 million tons of oil produced in the world each year ends up in the ocean.
• The energy we save when we recycle one glass bottle is enough to light a traditional light bulb for four hours
• For every 2000 pounds of paper (1 ton) recycled, we save 7,000 gallons of water free from chemicals.
• Recycled paper requires 64% less energy than making paper from virgin wood pulp, and can save many trees
• Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees
• The amount of wood and paper we throw away is enough to heat 50 million homes for 20 years
• Earth is 2/3 water. But all the fresh water streams only represent one hundredth of one percent.
• 14 billion pounds of trash is dumped into the ocean every year
• It takes 90% less energy to recycle aluminum cans than to make new ones
• 5 billion aluminum cans are used each year
• 84 percent of all household waste can be recycled.
• Computers pose an environmental threat because much of the material that makes them up is hazardous. A typical monitor contains 4-5 pounds of lead.
• Each year billions of used batteries are thrown away in the United States. This constitutes 88% of the mercury and 54% of the cadmium deposited into our landfills
• One gallon of motor oil can contaminate up to 2 million gallons of water. So dispose it properly!
• Here is an example of the water we use everyday:

3-7 gallons for toilet,
25-30 gallons for tub,
50-70 gallons for a 10 minute shower,
1 washing machine load uses 25-40 gallons,
1 dishwasher load uses 9-12 gallons

• Here is an example of how long it takes some things take to break down:

plastics take 500 years,
aluminum cans take 500 years,
organic materials, take 6 months,
cotton, rags, paper take 6 months.

Let’s do our share.

Reducing Workplace Stress by Breaking Bad Habits

As you learn to manage your job stress and improve your work relationships, you’ll have more control over your ability to think clearly and act appropriately. You will be able to break habits that add to your stress at work – and you’ll even be able to change negative ways of thinking about things that only add to your stress.

Eliminate self-defeating behaviors

Many of us make job stress worse with patterns of thought or behavior that keep us from relieving pressure on ourselves. If you can turn around these self-defeating habits, you’ll find employer-imposed stress easier to handle.

• Resist perfectionism. No project, situation, or decision is ever perfect, and you put undue stress on yourself by trying to do everything perfectly. When you set unrealistic goals for yourself or try to do too much, you’re setting yourself up to fall short. Do your best, and you’ll do fine.
• Clean up your act. If you’re always running late, set your clocks and watches fast and give yourself extra time. If your desk is a mess, file and throw away the clutter; just knowing where everything is saves time and cuts stress. Make to-do lists and cross off items as you accomplish them. Plan your day and stick to the schedule — you’ll feel less overwhelmed.
• Flip your negative thinking. If you see the downside of every situation and interaction, you’ll find yourself drained of energy and motivation. Try to think positively about your work, avoid negative-thinking co-workers, and pat yourself on the back about small accomplishments, even if no one else does.

Find Ways to Dispel Stress

• Get time away. If you feel stress building, take a break. Walk away from the situation. Take a stroll around the block, sit on a park bench, or spend a few minutes meditating. Exercise does wonders for the psyche. But even just finding a quiet place and listening to your iPod can reduce stress.
• Talk it out. Sometimes the best stress-reducer is simply sharing your stress with someone close to you. The act of talking it out – and getting support and empathy from someone else – is often an excellent way of blowing off steam and reducing stress.
• Cultivate allies at work. Just knowing you have one or more co-workers who are willing to assist you in times of stress will reduce your stress level. Just remember to reciprocate and help them when they are in need.
• Find humor in the situation. When you – or the people around you – start taking things too seriously, find a way to break through with laughter. Share a joke or funny story.

Make food choices that keep you going and make you feel good

Eating small but frequent meals throughout the day maintains an even level of blood sugar in your body. Low blood sugar makes you feel anxious and irritable. On the other hand, eating too much can make you lethargic.

To learn more about food that have a calming effect, lift your mood and make you feel good, see Tips for a Healthy Diet.

Drink alcohol in moderation and avoid nicotine

Alcohol temporarily reduces anxiety and worry, but too much can cause anxiety as it wears off. Drinking to relieve job stress can also start you on a path to alcohol abuse and dependence. Similarly, smoking when you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed may seem calming, but nicotine is a powerful stimulant – leading to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.

Get enough sleep

Stress and worry can cause insomnia. But lack of sleep also leaves you vulnerable to stress. When you're sleep deprived, your ability to handle stress is compromised.

This was taken from HealthGuide.Org

VHS to DVD using iMovie

What’s Important

Goals:

1. No loss in quality from VHS to DVD
2. No loss in quality from VHS to file format
3. File format must be playable by Picasa on Windows
4. Compatible with iMove and iDVD on iMac
5. US and UK playability

I don’t care about:

1. File size is not a concern, but quality is

VHS

VHS is a video tape that uses magnetic tape to store data. Data is written in analog encoding, NOT digital as a DVD.

Can play in VCR with an adapter. Content can be recorded in different speeds. With the different speeds comes a difference in quality.

Popular NTSC Resolution: 350 x 480 (250 lines)

There are two common length of tapes. They are T-120 and T-180. The number is the number of minutes it will play at SP (full quality)

Here are the typical play speeds

Values are in the format (SP / LP / EP). EP is also SLP

T-120 (120 min/ 240 min / 360 min)

T180 (180 min / 360 min / 540 min)

 

VHS-C

Same as VHS, but shorter tape.

Here are the typical play speeds

• SP – Standard Play – 40 minutes
• LP – Long Play -
• EP – Extended Play – 120 minutes (aka SLP or Super Long Play)

References

VHS Wiki

DVD

Frame size and frame rate

DVD’s in the US use one of the following formats:

• MPEG-2 compression at up to 9.8 Mbits/s
  • 720 x 480 pixels at 29.97 frames/s, interlaced or progressive
  • 704 x 480 pixels at 29.97 frames/s, interlaced or progressive
  • 352 x 480 pixels at 29.97 frames/s, interlaced or progressive
• MPEG-1 compression at up to 1.856 Mbits/s
  • 352 x 288 pixels at 25 frames/s, progressive only
  • 352 x 240 pixels at 29.97 frames/s, progressive only

All resolutions support 4:3 frame aspect ration. Only full D1 resolutions support widescreen (16:9) video. MPEG-2 also supports progressive.

Audio

Audio on a DVD can be PCM, DTS, MP2, AC-3 (Dolby Digital). PCM takes a lot of space on a DVD that could be used for high quality video. Dolby digital has great compression and is supported by most fairly recent DVD players now. DTS may or may not be supported. PCM is not well supported.

Container

DVDs use a VOB container format. VOB contain Video, audio, and subtitle streams all multiplexed. The vidoe stream is MPEG, but must be at the specifications noted above and here. So, all VOB files are MPEG, but not all MPEG are VOB files.

References:

Lots of details on DVD

More on VOB files

 

iMovie

Native formats:

• DV (Ditial Video) like from a camcorder
• DV Widescreen
• HDV 1080i (25 and 30 fps)
• HDV 720p (25 and 30 fps)
• MPEG 4 Simple Profile
• iSight

NOTE: MPEG-2 which DVD’s use is not shown. This just means we can’t take a video from a DVD and put it in iMovie. It does NOT mean that we cannot use iDVD to convert and burn a DVD from what iMovie EXPORTS.

Export formats:

iMovie can export to virtually any format with most any setting. The number of choices and options can actually be a bit overwhelming.

The one that I found to be the played the best on Mac and PC is what iMovie exports very easily and without much thought. Just go to the iMovie. Go to the Share menu and choose Export Movie… Select Large. From a resolution standpoint Medium should be sufficient for VHS, but I think Large is safer. Depends on your hard drive and amount of video as to which one you choose. Large is saved with a .m4v extension and uses H.264 for compression at 30 frames/s which is 4mbps.

Archive Format

I chose DV (digital video) because that is what it is captured in when I use FireWire. I believe the format that it is saved in is DV/DV PRO, but that should be verified. DV is a lossy compression. It is NOT lossless contrary to popular belief. It is an advanced codec that does a very good job of keeping quality and still give a good amount of compression. The DV files are still quite large, but I think it is worth it to archive videos with. I think it is overkill to just view, etc.

References

iMovie: Using footage from DV and non-DV sources 

 

Analog to Digital Converter

If you are converting from a VHS or VHS-C tape, there are a few ways to convert them to digital. There is NO way to do this without a analog to digital convert. The converter does NOT have to be a stand alone converter, but it is 100% required to exist in the process somewhere. A converter can be a camcorder with firewire connection. These have analog to digital converters built in. In can be a VHS to DVD dubbing machine. It could be my choice, the Canopus ADVC300 Advanced Digital Video Converter. With an around $400 price tag, this can be expensive for small projects. I have over 85 VHS or VHS-C tapes so this is good investment for me.

My theory is that if I spend that kind of money on any of those devices, I want all the money to go to the analog to digital converter, not the lense on a camcorder, a dvd writer, etc. I believe this is the most important part of the process because if this is done poorly, there is nothing you can do to recover.

Be sure that the converter can sync audio and video even on long recordings. This is very important. The ADV300 noted above does this.

References

Using analog/Firewire convert devices with iMovie

VCR / Camcorder

If you have the camcorder or vcr that a tape was recorded on I highly recommend using that device as the player for the tape. The reason is that in many cases, a tape will never play as well in another devices as it does in the one that records it. I have read this on the internet, and been told that by a couple professional conversion shops. In fact, often professional shops have several decks to try to find the best playback quality of a tape. If you have the original device, you have the best already.

If you don’t have the original vcr, you may consider a new one and clean in between tapes. At the very least clean you existing VCR before you start the batch of tapes. The reason is that I think this is another critical place in the process. If the heads that you are using to read the tape are dirty there is no amount of hardware or software that fix the problem. Well, you can try, but you will create side effects.

It is best to get a 4 head and wi-fi sound.

Tips

How to Convert VHS to DVD – excellent tips!

Diabetes and Heart Disease: The ABCs of Prevention

There are plenty of ways to lower your risk, and you may already be doing some of them.  To find out if you’re doing enough, know the results of the three tests that the American Diabetes Association (ADA) calls “the ABCs of diabetes.”

• A for A1C.  The AIC test shows your average blood sugar level for the past two or three months.  High blood sugar harms your heart, blood vessels and other organs.  The ADA recommends a target AIC level below 7.
• B for blood pressure.  Blood pressure readings measure the force of blood against the walls of your blood vessels.  Having high blood pressure makes your heart work harder and damages your blood vessels.  Aim for a blood pressure below 130/80.
• C for cholesterol.  Cholesterol is a fatty substance in your blood.  Pay special attention to LDL, the bad cholesterol that can clog your arteries.  Keep your LDL below 100.

Meeting these target numbers can help you avoid heart disease.  If you don’t already know your ABC numbers, visit or ask your doctor.

7 Step Action Plan for a Healthy Heart

Check out this simple healthy-heart plan

When it comes to the health of your heart, what you do and what you don't do can truly make a difference. That's because lifestyle choices -- like smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise -- can be far more dangerous than hereditary factors.

Here's a step-by-step plan that will help you make smart choices and help get your ticker in top form.

Action 1: Pump Your Heart

For optimal health, you'll need to do enough physical activity to burn between 3,500 and 6,500 calories a week (or roughly 500 to 950 a day). Most of that calorie loss comes from everyday tasks, but science shows that you'll also need about 60 minutes a week of stamina training -- cardiovascular exercise that gets your heart rate up and makes you breathe harder. Here's what to do:

· Do at least three 20-minute cardio workouts a week. A few brisk walks will do it

· Add strength training.

Action 2: Know Your Numbers

We're talking the big three -- cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar -- plus, two more you should probably know: homocysteine and C-reactive protein. Consider these numbers a stock ticker for your ticker. They tell you how you're doing, and when you need to do more. When you have them measured, make sure your doctor also tells you what your goal levels should be and what you can do to get there. Getting more active, losing weight, and making smart food choices can help get these numbers in a healthy range.

Action 3: Get Happy

There are lots of reasons to be happy, including your heart health. Negative emotions like anger and hostility can raise blood pressure. People with depression are four times more likely to have a heart attack. And while we don't understand how emotional stress causes physical stress, we do know there's a powerful connection. To get yourself in a better mind-set, adopt a more positive outlook and manage daily stressors.

Action 4: Eat Your Heart Out

When making out your grocery list, follow this simple rule of thumb: opt for foods with healthful fats, fiber, and good-for-you nutrients like flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals. And nix the salty, sugary, sat-fat-laden, or processed stuff.

Action 5: Learn from Your Relatives

Even though you have a lot of control over your own heart-healthy destiny, a family history of heart disease does raise your risk significantly. So, along with talking to your doctor about a schedule of heart screenings, talk about your family health history, too. And if Mom, Dad, or a sibling developed heart disease, you'll want to be extra vigilant about screenings and about adopting heart-smart habits.

Action 6: Pop Some Pills

Certain nutrients, supplements, and occasional medications can work preventive wonders for your heart. Here are the top picks:

Aspirin: Taking aspirin regularly may reduce the incidence of heart attack by making blood platelets less sticky and decreasing arterial inflammation. But it only makes sense for men over the age of 35 and women over the age of 40. And even then, check with your doctor first, because aspirin can have side effects like stomach irritation and bleeding.

A multivitamin: Your multivitamin is chock-full of heart-healthy micronutrients, like magnesium, calcium, and vitamins D, C, E, and A.

Folate: This B vitamin lowers homocysteine to healthy levels. Since folate from food is only partially absorbed by your body, take a 400-microgram (folic acid) supplement. But make sure you're getting enough B6 and B12, too, because folate can mask a deficiency in these vitamins.

Action 7: Schedule Sleep

If you don't snooze 6 to 8 hours a night, you increase arterial aging and raise your risk of a heart attack. Inadequate sleep will also cause you to release less serotonin (the feel-good hormone) in your brain. The result: You may seek out other, less healthful ways to feel good, like noshing on sugary foods or tipping too many martinis.

Think you know how your heart really works? Get a better idea here.

Article By RealAge

Wellness statistics and how walking can help

FOCUS ON WELLNESS – Prevention and Wellness Statistics

55% of recommended preventive care is administered, and only 52% is performed

38% of all deaths are due to avoidable factors: tobacco use, poor nutrition, physical inactivity and alcohol consumption

More than 60% of American adults do not get enough physical activity to provide the health benefits (CDC)

Unhealthy diet and physical inactivity play an important role in many chronic diseases and conditions including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, colon cancer, gallbladder disease and arthritis (CDC)

According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, for every 100 employees in this country:

• 27 have cardiovascular disease
• 24 have high blood pressure
• 50 or more have high cholesterol
• 26 are overweight by 20% or more
• 10 are heavy drinkers
• 59 don’t get adequate exercise
• 44 suffer from stress

If a daily fitness walk could be put in a pill, it would be one of the most popular prescriptions in the world. It has so many health benefits. Walking can reduce the risk of many diseases — from heart attack and stroke to hip fracture and glaucoma. These may sound like claims on a bottle of snake oil, but they're backed by major research. Walking requires no prescription, the risk of side effects is very low, and the benefits are numerous:

A steady routine is the most important factor in getting the most out of your exercise program. Walking for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 or more days a week is recommended.

Use these tips to keep you on track:

• During your walks, you should be able to maintain a conversation. If you're breathing too lightly, increase your pace. If you can't catch your breath, slow it down.
• Walk around the local area after lunch or dedicate 15 minutes to walking up and down stairs. Climbing is an excellent way to strengthen your heart.
• At night, trade a half hour of TV for a brisk stroll around the block. Take a friend with you for company or get the whole family involved.

Hug to health

Cheap, Quick Way to De-stress

Next time someone you know acts a little stressed out, give 'em a hug.

Like a Snuggie for your insides, hugs are linked to warm, fuzzy feelings. Even better, those good feelings translate into lower heart rate and blood pressure. Studies show a hug from a loving partner dampens stress in people both before and after a difficult time.

Hug It Out
In a world where so many things send stress levels soaring, you can never get too many hugs. In a study of premenopausal women, those who received the most hugs and massages from their significant others had the highest levels of oxytocin -- a hormone and brain chemical linked to happy feelings and security in relationships. And even better, oxytocin is related to lower heart rate and blood pressure.

Oxy-cise Every Day
Another good thing about oxytocin: It helps keep your blood pressure in check when you're stressing about an upcoming event or trying to recover from a nerve-wracking experience. Seems oxytocin somehow puts the brakes on the branch of the nervous system that ramps up heart rate and blood pressure. Or it may be that oxytocin works directly on the heart and blood vessels to keep them calm when tensions rise. Bust stress further with these relax-already strategies:

By RealAge

Laughter Can Boost Heart

HealthResearch finds it improves blood flow and may help ward off high blood pressure

New research lends weight to the old adage that laughter can be powerful medicine, particularly when it comes to your heart.

Two studies presented at the American College of Sports Medicine's annual meeting in Seattle found that laughter not only can reduce stress, which can damage the heart, it can lead to improved blood flow, which can help ward off high blood pressure.

The first study included a small group of healthy adults who were asked to watch either a comedy or documentary film. They were then checked for activity of the carotid arteries -- the main arteries in the neck that bring blood to the brain and face -- during the films.

People who watched the comedy displayed improved "arterial compliance" -- the amount of blood that moves through the arteries at a given time. Decreased arterial compliance is often linked with high blood pressure and heart disease, according to an American College of Sports Medicine news release.

"Arterial compliance was improved for a full 24 hours after subjects watched a funny movie," said lead researcher Jun Sugawara. "Laughing is likely not the complete solution to a healthy heart, but it appears to contribute to positive effects."

The second study focused on vascular function and the dilation of blood vessels. When a second group of adults watched either a comedy or a serious documentary, there was more dilation of blood vessels during the comedy. Constricted blood vessels can be a cause of high blood pressure, the news release said.

"Not only did comedies improve vascular dilation, but watching a documentary about a depressing subject was actually harmful to the blood vessels," said Takashi Tarumi, lead researcher on the second study. "These documentaries constricted blood vessels by about 18 percent."

HealthDay News © MyOptumHealth.com

Citrus Tree care in Arizona

Disclaimer: Let me start by saying, I am not an expert by any means. I am simply summarizing information from people that DO know what they are talking about.

What to Trim

The short answer is don’t trim. It is not needed unless the branches are rubbing on each other. If you want to do it for aesthetic reasons this is ok, but don’t due it in the cold winter or host summer.
The most important thing to remember is that you don’t want to expose branches to the hot sun. It can damage the tree. Keep in mind that citrus tree are really a giant shrub. Mother nature intended them to have branches that nearly touch the ground to protect the bark from the sun. If you have a citrus tree that has been trimmed up to look like a tree and the trunk receives direct sun, you should cover it. I don’t recommend painting it because paint is very toxic and the tree absorbs it which is then in the fruit you will be eating.
You don’t even need to trim the dead wood says Claire Charlton. If you want to trim the dead wood, make sure to do this after the new growth in the spring has started so that you can see how much of it is actually dead. For example, if new growth is coming out of the “dead” wood, it probably only looks dead and is still alive.

When to Trim

Do it when the temperatures are mild (not too hot and not too cold). In Arizona the best time is in the spring (March to early May). You can do minimal pruning during the late fall (November to February). Try not to do the pruning around times of frost, this is what can damage the trees.

Fruit / Harvest

Fruit ripens in the late fall (November to February for most varieties). This is when you will want to harvest (pick) you citrus fruit.
In general oranges can be harvested in December through February, with the exception of Valencia oranges which are later and good through May.
Pink Grapefruits can be harvested Nov – May or Jan - April you have the Texas Star Ruby grapefruit.
Tangerine can be harvested in December and January.
Click here for a detailed document on harvest dates for the different types of citrus.

Watering

The most comprehensive guide to water citrus trees in Arizona I have found is an article called Irrigating Citrus Trees by the University of Arizona.

Tips

• Reduced fruit size – this is the first sign of water stress, but can be difficult to notice.
• Leaf curling – 1st noticeable sign of water stress. Starts by turning dull green and curling from the outer edges of the leave inwards.
• Crispy leaves – After leaves turn dull green and begin to curl water is needed. If no water is added, the leaves will become crisp and brownish. It will start at the leaf tip and progressing until the entire leaf is dead.
• Slow water – from the trunk of the tree to just beyond the drop line to a depth of two feet. Do slow watering less often, but run for many hours to allow it to get to the depth of 2 to 4 feet.
• 7 to 28 days – days between watering depending of season and soil conditions. See chart in the referenced article for specifics.
• Grapefruit and lemon trees require 20% more water than orange trees
• Allow soil to dry – Don’t water unless the soil is dry to a depth of about 6 inches to limit soil-borne disease.
• Probe for wetness - Use a rod (metal, wood, soil probe, etc) to determine how deep your water is going. The probe will move easily through wet soil (unless clay), and stop when it reaches dry soil. Regardless, you should be able to feel the difference between dry and wet soil just after watering.

Application Methods

Typically a building a basin about 1 foot beyond the canopy and about 4 to 8 inches high is the easiest for home owners. The basin can then be filled with water when it is time to water the tree. Water can safely touch the trunk of the tree if it is not damaged or planted too deeply. Do NOT pile dirt around the trunk.
You can also use bubblers, drip systems, soaker hoses, etc. The trick is to make sure that the water is distributed (at least around the drip line), not just in select areas. For more info on deep watering, click here.
If you are going to use a soaker hose, then position it under the drip line (the imaginary area just below the outer branches). If in doubt spray your trees leaves (not in the hot summer sun) and watch where the water drips. You should see a ring around the tree. Keep in mind that soaker hoses are not recommended for locations that have a lot of minerals deposits in the water because they can become clogged over time. A filter may be needed. Try to limit any particular run of soaker hose to 15 feet and 8 to 10 psi. A soaker hose will give you about 12 GPH at 10 psi, less for 8 psi. For more info on soaker hoses, click here.

How often to water

My trees are all well over 3 years old (if yours aren’t check here), so here is the schedule I follow. Please remember, this is for Arizona only.
Jan – every 21 to 30 days
Feb – every 21 to 30 days
Mar – every 14 to 21 days
Apr – every 14 to 21 days
May – every 14 days
Jun – every 14 days
Jul – every 10 to 14 days
Aug – every 10 to 14 days
Sep – every 10 to 14 days
Oct – every 14 to 21 days
Nov – every 14 to 21 days
Dec – every 21 to 30 days

How much to water

You really have to know the diameter of the CANOPY of your tree in feet. A tape measure is the easiest way to determine that. Just measure from one side to the other and going as close to the center of the tree as possible.
If you look at the chart here for oranges (remember grapefruit take 20% more water), you will see that the number of gallons required varies greatly depending on the month and also by tree diameter.
I have four very mature citrus trees. They are tangerine, grapefruit, ornamental orange, and orange. Their canopies have the following diameters (in feet): 21, 15, 22, 17ft respectively.
That means I need the following number of gallons per day (but only water at the interval show earlier in the How often to water section of this blog).
Now that we know how much water our tree needs, we need to determine how long we need to leave the water on in order for that much water to be emitted. Ideally, you would adjust the amount of water being emitted so that it needs to run for about 6 to 7 hours. This allows for it to soak in slowly. At the very least, try for an hour or more before turning it off. In the end, you want to make sure the water makes it 2 feet deep. You can dig down to verify this if you like.
The easiest way to do this is to run your hose, sprinklers, etc in a bucket with a known measure such as 5 gallon bucket. Time how long it takes in hours to fill up the bucket. Now divide 5 by the number of hours it took to fill the bucket to get your gallons per hour (gph).

Example

Now let’s assume it is July and my ornamental orange tree with a canopy of 22 feet. In July it needs to be watered every 10 to 14 days. It is a cooler July, so let’s go to 14 days. At the end of 14 days, I need to give the tree 14 days * 72.9 gals / day = 1020.6 gals. My soaking hose emits 320 gallons per hour on HIGH, so I need to let the water run for 1020.6 / 320 =  3.2 hours. Soaker hoses typically should be run on about 1/4 of HIGH, so I estimate about 15 hours of soaking.
NOTE: If I go by the manufactures estimate of 12 GPH for a Mr. Soaker hose, then that would be 1020.6 / 12 = 85 hrs. As you can see there is a bit of discrepancy, so do your own tests on GPM.
Tangerine Tree (21 ft canopy, but round to 22 to make it easier)
Jan – 9.1 gals per day
Feb – 13.3 gals per day
Mar – 27.8 gals per day
Apr – 39.8 gals per day
May – 49.0 gals per day
Jun – 63.4 gals per day
Jul – 72.9 gals per day
Aug – 67.9 gals per day
Sep – 53.0 gals per day
Oct – 31.0 gals per day
Nov – 13.3 gals per day
Dec – 9.1 gals per day
Grapefruit Tree (15ft canopy, but round to 16 to make it easier)
NOTE: I would normally add 20% to these values, but as it turns out I am pretty close to that just by rounding up to the 16ft canopy.
Jan – 4.8 gals per day
Feb – 7.0 gals per day
Mar – 14.7 gals per day
Apr – 21.0 gals per day
May – 25.9 gals per day
Jun – 33.5 gals per day
Jul – 38.6 gals per day
Aug – 35.9 gals per day
Sep – 28.0 gals per day
Oct – 16.4 gals per day
Nov – 7.0 gals per day
Dec – 4.8 gals per day
Ornamental Orange Tree (22ft canopy)
Jan – 9.1 gals per day
Feb – 13.3 gals per day
Mar – 27.8 gals per day
Apr – 39.8 gals per day
May – 49.0 gals per day
Jun – 63.4 gals per day
Jul – 72.9 gals per day
Aug – 67.9 gals per day
Sep – 53.0 gals per day
Oct – 31.0 gals per day
Nov – 13.3 gals per day
Dec – 9.1 gals per day
Orange Tree (17ft canopy, but round to 18ft to make it easier)
Jan – 6.4 gals per day
Feb – 8.9 gals per day
Mar – 18.6 gals per day
Apr – 26.6 gals per day
May – 32.8 gals per day
Jun – 42.4 gals per day
Jul – 48.8 gals per day
Aug – 45.5 gals per day
Sep – 35.5 gals per day
Oct – 20.7 gals per day
Nov – 8.9 gals per day
Dec – 6.1 gals per day

Fertilization

If you want good fruit, you will need to fertilize your fruit.
It is possible to over fertilize your fruit also. Feeder roots are just below the surface of the soil and can be burned by over fertilization. So, be sure to not over fertilize.
Established grapefruit trees only need half the amount of fertilizer normally given to other varieties of citrus trees.
Also, you may want to test the pH of your soil. If the soil has a pH level of 7 or above then the soil is too alkaline and the fertilizer can’t be absorbed by the tree. If this is the case, add Chelated iron tablets to the soil to lower the pH.

Overview of Fertilization Process

1. Water the tree before applying the fertilizer. Best if do this a day before you fertilize.
2. Apply fertilizer evenly beneath the tree’s canopy as instructed by the fertilizer.
3. Water the tree after fertilizer is applied to wash nutrients into soil. Be sure to wash all areas that have fertilizer so that it will be washed into the soil where the feeder roots can access it.

Fertilization Schedule

In general the tree needs the most fertilizer from the time they bloom until they have firmly set fruit. It is very unlikely that a tree will starve to death. Trees can survive years without fertilizer. I take that to mean when in doubt do less.
This seems to depend on who you ask, the soil, where you live, etc. General advice seems to be that you can do it as often as every 4 to 8 weeks in the Spring and Summer (the growing season) which is from February through August. Then in the fall and winter do it every 2 to 3 months.
The direction above don’t appear to be specific to Arizona. In Arizona, the advice seems to be three times a year. The recommended times are March, late May, and September or better yet, use the holidays as a reminder: Valentines Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day.

Is all citrus fertilizer the same?

The short answer is no. You get what you pay for. Just like vitamins for humans it is all about the fillers and how they can interfere with the absorption of the nutrients. The general rule of thumb is that you get what you pay for. The cheaper products bulk up the quantities with fillers and the more expensive products generally have less fillers. With that said, don’t try to compare the costs of name brand to less known brands. Be aware when you are paying for the name, not the product. You want to read the back label and look for products that have as many minor elements as possible (at least 6 elements, but 8,10, or 12 is better).

Fertilizer / salt burn or sun burn?

Sun burn is most severe on parts of the tree that get the most sunshine and will occur on any part of a leaf. Fertilizer/salt burn starts at the tips of the leaves and will be more severe on the side of the tree that gets more sun, but will also be present on parts of the tree that receive less exposure.

How much Fertilizer

Click here for a chart on recommendations for Arizona. You should really use what the fertilizer bag says, but you can use the chart to make sure you are not over fertilizing and at least pretty close. Remember, mature grapefruit trees only need half the shown amounts.

Example

Calculating the diameter of the trunk of your tree
It seems that all fertilizers want to know the diameter of your trunk. So, let’s figure it out.
You could eye ball it, but I prefer using a little math to figure it out. How ever you do it, measure about 4 to 6 inches above the ground to get an accurate measure.
I measured the trunks of each tree with a tape measure you would use to measure your waste line so that I could get an accurate measure of the circumference (the distance around the trunk). The reason I did this is so that I can calculate the diameter of the trunk (assuming that is is mostly circular).
I have four very mature citrus trees. They are tangerine, grapefruit, ornamental orange, and orange. The circumferences are 46, 25, 34, 23 inches respectively. To calculate the the diameter I just divide these number by 3.14 (pie). This gives me 14.6, 8.0, 10.8, and 7.3 inches respectively for the diameters.
From this just follow the instructions on your favorite Citrus fertilizer. Yes, there is special fertilizer that is specially made for Citrus and that is what you should use. Palm fertilizer is an ok substitute if Citrus fertilizer is not available.
If you use the chart described above and assume large fully grown untrimmed trees and a 5-10-5 fertilizer that would mean a 30 lb bag is needed for the entire year. Meaning, for each fertilization, 10 lbs is needed. For me, the chart and the fertilizer bad didn’t match. The chart indicated a bit more for more and less for others depending on the trunk size. When in doubt, I would say follow the instructions on the bag of fertilizer.

 

Certified Arborist

I think it is important to take advise from certified arborists such as Arizona Tree. I have not used them yet, but plan to if/when the time comes.

Sources

When & How to Trim Citrus Trees in Arizona
Irrigating Citrus Trees
How to select the right fertilizers for all your tropical plants
Drought – Watering Trees
Mr Soaker Hose
How to Deep Water Plants
How to Water Citrus Trees
How to Fertilize Citrus Trees
Fertilizing Citrus Trees – Best Practices for Citrus Fertilizing
Citrus Care: How to Fertilize Citrus Trees
Growing Citrus in Phoenix Arizona
Annual Fertilizer Requirements for Citrus (by City of Gilbert, AZ and UofA)
Low Desert Citrus Varieties (by UofA)

Heart Attack Symptoms differ between men and woman

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