I've always been itch prone, so I have some experience in this area. Here are some things to try (and good luck :-)
1) ice (my personal favourite - it's immediate, completely free of side effects, and free ;-)
2) baking soda (make a paste with water and apply, or add some to a bath)
3) vinegar (either full strength or mix with water - caution: although it stops itch in its tracks, it stings cut skin, so only use it full strength if you haven't started scratching yet)
4) aloe vera
5) Benadryl (taken orally; liquid works faster)
6) garlic clove (rubbed on ...haven't tried it myself, but I keep hearing about it)
7) calamine lotion
8) Vicks vapo rub (another one I haven't tried yet but keep hearing about)
9) witch hazel
10) chamomile essential Oil
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
10 Things To Know About Getting Rid Of Spiders
1) Get a cat. Our Manx is the fiercest spider hunter in the land. I'm constantly finding her stretched out on the carpet looking smug and satisfied, with a balled up wolf spider corpse nearby.
2) Put chestnuts around the room. I have NO idea why this works, but the rooms that I have the chestnuts in never have the spiders (our Manx has a peeing problem, so there are certain rooms she's not allowed into. These are the rooms that I save the chestnuts for).
3) Supposedly kerosene on your windows and frames (wiped on with newspaper) leaves a film that repels insects. I haven't tried this one myself yet.
4) Leave the Daddy Long Leg spiders alone. They compete for food and territory with the other types of spiders, and drive them away. They're harmless to us (and not as scary ;-)
5) Try the "dog whistle" approach - apparently you can buy plug in devices that emit a high pitched sound that bugs HATE.
6) Ooh! I've heard of this one but never tried it - Lemon Pledge. They hate that too.
7) Clear away vegetation from the base of your house - this can attract lots of bugs. I've noticed a big improvement in my basement office since doing this (or maybe it's the chestnuts! In any case, I never see spiders in that room).
8) Clear away clutter inside your house (i.e. stacks of paper, clothes on the floor). Clutter gives spiders places to hide, and makes it harder for the cat to get 'em.
9) Hedge apples from the Osage-Orange tree supposedly work as well, although that's another one I haven't tried myself yet.
10) Get rid of their food source. They eat other insects. I've noticed that keeping my food in sealed plastic containers that keep the bugs away has reduced the number of spiders in my kitchen. I even go as far as re-sealing (with packing tape) large pet food bags once I've filled the smaller pet food bins (which have lids).
Good luck!!
2) Put chestnuts around the room. I have NO idea why this works, but the rooms that I have the chestnuts in never have the spiders (our Manx has a peeing problem, so there are certain rooms she's not allowed into. These are the rooms that I save the chestnuts for).
3) Supposedly kerosene on your windows and frames (wiped on with newspaper) leaves a film that repels insects. I haven't tried this one myself yet.
4) Leave the Daddy Long Leg spiders alone. They compete for food and territory with the other types of spiders, and drive them away. They're harmless to us (and not as scary ;-)
5) Try the "dog whistle" approach - apparently you can buy plug in devices that emit a high pitched sound that bugs HATE.
6) Ooh! I've heard of this one but never tried it - Lemon Pledge. They hate that too.
7) Clear away vegetation from the base of your house - this can attract lots of bugs. I've noticed a big improvement in my basement office since doing this (or maybe it's the chestnuts! In any case, I never see spiders in that room).
8) Clear away clutter inside your house (i.e. stacks of paper, clothes on the floor). Clutter gives spiders places to hide, and makes it harder for the cat to get 'em.
9) Hedge apples from the Osage-Orange tree supposedly work as well, although that's another one I haven't tried myself yet.
10) Get rid of their food source. They eat other insects. I've noticed that keeping my food in sealed plastic containers that keep the bugs away has reduced the number of spiders in my kitchen. I even go as far as re-sealing (with packing tape) large pet food bags once I've filled the smaller pet food bins (which have lids).
Good luck!!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
10 Alternative Names for Hidden Sugar in Food
I'm reading a great article about hidden sugar in food. Below is a list of alternative sugar names that can appear on labels:
1. sucrose
2. fructose
3. maple syrup
4. molasses
5. dextrose
6. turbinado
7. amazake
8. sorbitol
9. carob powder
10. glucose
Because this is such important info (and it's right at my fingertips!) here's more:
galactose
lactose
maltose
invert sugar
raw sugar
brown sugar
confectioner's sugar
granulated sugar
corn syrup
high-fructose corn syrup
honey
What amazes me more are the foods that contain so much sugar that don't even seem sweet, like white bread. It's literally everywhere....
1. sucrose
2. fructose
3. maple syrup
4. molasses
5. dextrose
6. turbinado
7. amazake
8. sorbitol
9. carob powder
10. glucose
Because this is such important info (and it's right at my fingertips!) here's more:
galactose
lactose
maltose
invert sugar
raw sugar
brown sugar
confectioner's sugar
granulated sugar
corn syrup
high-fructose corn syrup
honey
What amazes me more are the foods that contain so much sugar that don't even seem sweet, like white bread. It's literally everywhere....
Monday, May 26, 2008
10 Things To Know About Increasing Your Metabolism
This is a refresher for me ;-)
1) Drink more water
2) Eat smaller meals more frequently
3) Eat breakfast
4) Build muscle mass
5) Do aerobic exercise
6) Get adequate sleep
7) Reduce stress in your life
8) Eat fresh fruit and vegetables
9) Eat low fat, lean protein
10) Eat spicy foods
Sources:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Optimizing-Your-Diet-to-Lose-Abdominal-Fat&id=475400http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Metabolismhttp://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/calories/burning_calories/boost_metabolism.htm
1) Drink more water
2) Eat smaller meals more frequently
3) Eat breakfast
4) Build muscle mass
5) Do aerobic exercise
6) Get adequate sleep
7) Reduce stress in your life
8) Eat fresh fruit and vegetables
9) Eat low fat, lean protein
10) Eat spicy foods
Sources:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Optimizing-Your-Diet-to-Lose-Abdominal-Fat&id=475400http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Metabolismhttp://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/calories/burning_calories/boost_metabolism.htm
Monday, May 5, 2008
10 Things To Know About Travelling To The US
Viva Las Vegas!!!
1) Even though you're driving across the border, you might still need your passport. The border guard asked for our driver's licenses and birth certificates, and when we didn't have both, he asked for passports. I wasn't expecting this, and my "one sec, please" while I dug around in my bag prompted him to step out of his booth and ask my hubby to roll down our car window. All was well in the end as we're law abiding folk and weren't up to anything...
2) If you're afraid of flying (as I am) and need to be alcoholically medicated to avoid mass anxiety, order more than one at a time from the flight attendant. They're kinda busy and working in cramped quarters and might not get back to you quickly.
3) White Zinfandel is awesome for turbulence. Not for the pilot though.
4) Still under the category of fear of flying: ignore your well meaning hubby when he talks about how cool the cloud's shadows on the ground look from cruising altitude.
5) Check the weather forecast of your destination before you leave home. This is a great tip offered by a friend of mine, and had I not done this, we Canadians would be over dressed and melting in Nevada at the moment.
6) As much as you want to, you cannot take the palm trees home with you!
7) Compose these posts when you actually have time to finish...
8)
9)
10)
1) Even though you're driving across the border, you might still need your passport. The border guard asked for our driver's licenses and birth certificates, and when we didn't have both, he asked for passports. I wasn't expecting this, and my "one sec, please" while I dug around in my bag prompted him to step out of his booth and ask my hubby to roll down our car window. All was well in the end as we're law abiding folk and weren't up to anything...
2) If you're afraid of flying (as I am) and need to be alcoholically medicated to avoid mass anxiety, order more than one at a time from the flight attendant. They're kinda busy and working in cramped quarters and might not get back to you quickly.
3) White Zinfandel is awesome for turbulence. Not for the pilot though.
4) Still under the category of fear of flying: ignore your well meaning hubby when he talks about how cool the cloud's shadows on the ground look from cruising altitude.
5) Check the weather forecast of your destination before you leave home. This is a great tip offered by a friend of mine, and had I not done this, we Canadians would be over dressed and melting in Nevada at the moment.
6) As much as you want to, you cannot take the palm trees home with you!
7) Compose these posts when you actually have time to finish...
8)
9)
10)
Sunday, April 27, 2008
10 Things To Know About Making Good Coffee
I'm a coffeeaholic (is that even a real world?) and have spent a considerable amount of time and effort engaged in the quest to make a better cup. Here are ten tips that I have learned and practice myself...
1) Buy beans, not pre-ground coffee, and grind only what you are about to use, right before you use it.
2) Use a lighter roast, because lower quality beans are often used for darker roasts.
3) DON'T store your beans in the freezer as this can damage the oil. Instead store your beans in a cool dry place, in an airtight container.
4) Use good water. Coffee is mostly water, so the quality of the water you use will affect how the coffee turns out.
5) I use two coffee filters so that the water in my drip coffee maker stays in the grounds a bit longer, for a more full bodied brew.
6) Use more beans but with a coarser grind. The finer the grind the greater the extraction, and excess extraction can lead to bitterness.
7) Take your coffee off the heat immediately after it's brewed - don't let it sit on the burner.
8) Pour the cream into the cup first and the coffee second and not vice versa. Not sure why, but it makes a difference in the taste.
9) Add a couple of drops of vanilla or almond extract for nicer flavour.
10) Never reheat in the microwave.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
So Many Things, So Little Time
Maybe I bit off more than I can chew with this blog. I've started a few more lists, but life keeps getting in the way and taking up my time before I come up with a full ten things that I'm happy about posting (I don't like to duplicate stuff, or use "filler"). Maybe I should change this to "5 things about..." lol
All I can do is keep plugging away at it - maybe this can be a weekly blog.
It's past my bedtime... I have more than 10 reasons why I don't get enough sleep ;-)
Good night!
All I can do is keep plugging away at it - maybe this can be a weekly blog.
It's past my bedtime... I have more than 10 reasons why I don't get enough sleep ;-)
Good night!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
10 Things To Know About Bisphenol A
Bisphenol A
I had heard about this being in plastic, but I had no idea about the food can lining. Interesting!!
1) On Friday the federal government of Canada intends to declare Bisphenol A a toxin.
2) Bisphenol A has been used in plastics since the 1950s.
3) It's alarmingly common, found in the urine of 93% of those tested over the age of six.
4) The government of Canada classes Bisphenol A as a hormone disruptor.
5) Some of the common uses of Bisphenol A include: plastic food and beverage containers, plastic food wrap, metal food can lining, coffee makers, laptop computers, dental sealant, CDs, car parts, water filters, flame retardants, paper, large water cooler jugs and textiles.
6) Some of the health risks include: damage to fetuses, negative glandular effects resulting in among other things early female puberty, genital tract changes, prostate changes, reduced testosterone, precancerous changes in breast cells, and hyperactivity.
7) Bisphenol A will likely eventually be banned in Canada in food containers, as well as water and baby bottles.
8) Bisphenol A is sometimes identified by the number seven inside a triangle.
9) Buy back programs of products containing Bisphenol A are being offered by some companies, such as The Bay.
10) As of yet there have been no alternatives discovered to create functional and spoilage preventing food can linings; consumers are advised to avoid canned food as much as possible.
http://www.canada.com/
http://healthcare.zdnet.com/
http://www.chron.com/
http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/
http://www.salon.com/
http://canadianpress.google.com/
I had heard about this being in plastic, but I had no idea about the food can lining. Interesting!!
1) On Friday the federal government of Canada intends to declare Bisphenol A a toxin.
2) Bisphenol A has been used in plastics since the 1950s.
3) It's alarmingly common, found in the urine of 93% of those tested over the age of six.
4) The government of Canada classes Bisphenol A as a hormone disruptor.
5) Some of the common uses of Bisphenol A include: plastic food and beverage containers, plastic food wrap, metal food can lining, coffee makers, laptop computers, dental sealant, CDs, car parts, water filters, flame retardants, paper, large water cooler jugs and textiles.
6) Some of the health risks include: damage to fetuses, negative glandular effects resulting in among other things early female puberty, genital tract changes, prostate changes, reduced testosterone, precancerous changes in breast cells, and hyperactivity.
7) Bisphenol A will likely eventually be banned in Canada in food containers, as well as water and baby bottles.
8) Bisphenol A is sometimes identified by the number seven inside a triangle.
9) Buy back programs of products containing Bisphenol A are being offered by some companies, such as The Bay.
10) As of yet there have been no alternatives discovered to create functional and spoilage preventing food can linings; consumers are advised to avoid canned food as much as possible.
http://www.canada.com/
http://healthcare.zdnet.com/
http://www.chron.com/
http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/
http://www.salon.com/
http://canadianpress.google.com/
Sunday, April 13, 2008
10 Things to Know About Blogging and Copyright
I'm new at blogging, so I found this topic really useful (and important!).
1) Anything that is published is protected by copyright, whether there is a copyright notice or not.
2) Don't cut and paste - instead, use a direct link to the article you're referring to. This is a "lesser of two evils" approach, which enables the creators to maintain their control over access, while allowing their advertisers continued exposure. It also allows the author of the source site to change their content and not be misquoted.
3) Public domain material is available for use (public domain usually begins after a specified time period after the death of the composer/author. This time period can vary from country to country).
4) Short quotations are considered "fair use" only if they're used in an editorial way (as in, not commercial, but instead for the relaying of information).
5) Explicit permission from the copyright holder is what is required to cut and paste from their site (in other words, even if you credit your source, you're still in violation if you haven't gotten permission).
6) An idea or fact itself is not covered by copyright; what is covered is the way that idea or fact is expressed.
7) Titles and names are not covered by copyright.
8) Distinctive phrases can have trademark protection (as opposed to copyright) depending on how they are used.
9) Creative commons is a variation of copyright which allows for less restrictive protection of works to allow for easier growth and sharing (see cc search page).
10) You don't have to register your work to be protected by copyright, but it does make your case stronger if you ever have to go to court.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ34.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/internet/copyright.html
http://www.dailyblogtips.com/copyright-law-12-dos-and-donts/
http://activerain.com/blogsview/64671/Should-I-Cut-and
Saturday, April 5, 2008
10 Things To Know About Flaxseed
I chose Flaxseed for my first topic and found out some interesting things I didn't know!
This is what my web surfing research taught me:
1) Flax seed is an excellent source of both omega-3 fatty acids and lignans.
2) It is better utilized by the body if ground first (this I knew, actually... it's kind of a pain cleaning the coffee out of the grinder, but it's worth it!)
3) It has a longer shelf life if purchased whole (grind before using).
4) Some of the claimed health benefits include:
-anti-inflammatory properties
-protects bone health
-protects against heart disease, cancer and diabetes
-prevents and controls high blood pressure
-has cholesterol lowering benefits
-has beneficial fibre
-helps prevent dry eyes (taken orally - not applied directly to the eyes!!)
-offers joint pain relief
-can decrease hot flashes in postmenopausal women
-helps to lower blood cholesterol
-improves lactation in breastfeeding mothers
-helps the human fetus grow and develop
-helps prevent the formation of blood clots
-can aid in the clearing of skin conditions
-has shown benefits in those suffering from Lupus
-helps to relieve constipation and diarrhea
-reduces symptoms of arthritis, asthma, and allergies
5) Eating flax seed with cottage cheese theoretically enables your body to better absorb it (the essential fats in the flax bind to the proteins in the cottage cheese).
6) The quality of the oil in flax seed is affected by the climate in which it is grown. The best seeds are said to be grown in North Dakota and Canada because the colder climates result in better seed oil.
7) Separated flax fibres can be made into linen. The Egyptians used this ancient fabric to wrap mummies for embalming.
8) The word linen is derived from the Latin word "linum" which means flax plant (as well as Greek: "linon").
9) Linen is actually stronger when being washed (resulting in greater longevity than other fabrics) because flax yarns and fabrics increase their strength when wet by about 20%.
And finally...
10) In the middle ages, blue flax flowers were thought to protect those who wore them from sorcery.
(I had no idea!!) I think I'm going to enjoy writing this blog...
Thank you to my sources:
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