Caffeine Myths #3 - Caffeine can make heart disease worse - True or False?

Myth #3: Caffeine can make heart disease worse.False: 
 Doctors often tell cardiac patients, especially those with high blood pressure, to avoid caffeine. But there’s little proof that it raises the risk of heart attack, sudden death or abnormal heart rhythms.

In fact, coffee drinking may reduce risk of heart disease!

A study by Autonomous University of Madrid of more than 126,000 people found that women who drank two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day had a 25% lower risk of heart disease. Men didn’t show any higher or lower risk.

Drinking tea – black and green – may also have heart-healthy benefits.

"Tea in general seems to have cardiovascular benefits,” says Messerli, also a cardiologist and director of hypertension at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in Manhattan. The “benefits of tea are probably due to its antioxidant properties,” he says.

But not all teas are created equal. Herbal ones such as chamomile, rosebud and elderberry don’t have the same antioxidants.

Plus, “when you add cream or milk, you may abolish the benefits,” Messerli says, “because it seems that the milk or the cream prevents the antioxidant substance from acting.”

Caffeine Myths #2 - Caffeine causes dehydration - True or False

Myth #2: Caffeine causes dehydration.True: 

Caffeine is a mild diuretic, but “it’s not very pronounced,” says Franz H. Messerli, M.D., a professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University in New York City.

Still, diuretics make you have to pee. The more often you go, the more fluids you lose. And you'll feel more dehydrated because you’re losing more fluids than you’re taking in.

“I wouldn’t drink a double espresso before a run, but would have no problem drinking a 12-ounce Coke,” Messerli explains. That’s because all fluids, even those with caffeine, contribute to the body’s daily fluid total.

Caffeine Myths #1 of 9: Caffeine is addictive True or False?

More computer finds that I wanted to share.  Some of these I've heard all my life so now I know if they are True or False.

Myth #1: Caffeine is addictive.False: Although caffeine is considered a mild stimulant, it’s not addictive, according to the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Unlike classic stimulants – think cocaine and amphetamines – there’s rarely a strong compulsion to use caffeine.

But caffeine can be habit-forming. That’s why you may feel mild withdrawal symptoms if you skip your morning cup of joe or afternoon pick-me-up.

Typical symptoms include headache, restlessness and irritability. Should you decide to give up caffeine, don’t go cold turkey; instead, slowly decrease your consumption over a week.

Really though, why bother? Studies show moderate caffeine intake actually enhances your mood and improves alertness.

For adults, the American Dietetic Association suggests no more than 200 mg to 300 mg a day, which equals two to three cups of coffee.

What's Your Color Personality? Part 3 (End)

Black represents the absence of light and color. In Western cultures, black is considered the color of death. Its color personality is associated with feelings of mourning and grief, and also of hatred. However, black also can be powerful and provocative, which explains its use in men's suits and its effectiveness when used in dresses. Wear black when you want to make an impression and project seriousness.

White is the symbol of balance and unity, of all the colors coming together as one in harmony. As such, white is a powerful symbol of purity and peace — for example, its use in wedding gowns and monuments. However, in a daily setting, white can be jarring and feel unfriendly and sterile. People are less likely to be productive or feel comfortable in a room painted white.

What's Your Color Personality? Part 2

Green, the color of life and nature, is associated in the United States with health and prosperity. Like blue, green can promote relaxation, peace, and calm. Because green is often considered the most neutral of the colors, it is often used in institutional settings such as schools and hospitals and in color therapy. Green in your clothing could help people think of you as positive and relaxed, and a darker green room could be an ideal place to unwind.

Orange is an odd color, in that it provokes mixed reactions. It's not as intense as red, so it doesn't prompt the same violent mood reaction. Orange and its darker sister, brown, tend to have connections to the natural world and the great outdoors similar to those of the color green. Regarding color and mood, orange can produce feelings of warmth and enthusiasm, while brown creates feelings of comfort and security. As such, brown furniture may feel seem more relaxing and pleasing in a room than orange furniture.

Violet - Because it is a "cool" color like blue and green, violet feels soothing and peaceful and can help relieve anxiety. However, purple also has connections to royalty and nobility, and can feel like an exotic color. A purple tie can add a touch of dash to your look; however, a purple suit probably would be too much. One study found that people responded much more positively to a store painted violet than they did to the same store painted in yellow.

Sugar Free Lemon Pie

This recipe is for my friend Sal Buttaci, Author of Flashing My Shorts and his wife Sharon

3 cups skim milk
2 pkg. sugr free French Vanilla instant pudding
1 pkg. Crystal Light Lemonade
16 oz. lite whipped topping
2 graham cracker pie crusts (lite/fat free)

Mix first 3 ingredients.  Fold in whipped topping.  Pour into 2 pie crusts.  Chill overnight.  Enjoy Guys!

Broccoli/Corn Cornbread

The original recipe called for the broccoli to be cooked. I decided to use it raw and let it cook in the oven. Reason - to keep it from being too mushy. The recipe didn't call for the cheese nor corn, I added those and am glad I did. For changes, use chopped squash. This would also be good with a cup of cooked chicken added to the mix.

Get your copy of the recipe by clicking on Martha's Kitchen Korner

What's Your Color Personality? Part 1

This came through an email to me from Everyday Health.  I found this so interesting that I decided to pass it along to everyone.  This is more than I want to put into one post so it will be posted in 3 parts. 

Colors can have a profound effect on how you feel. Just choosing which color of dress or suit to wear makes a statement.

By Dennis Thompson Jr.

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Page 1 of 10

Our world is filled with colors, and it can be easy to overlook the visual palette that greets us every day. But don't underestimate the effect of color on personality and mood. Research has found that different colors can provoke very different reactions in people. A good understanding of the way color and mood interact can help you in decorating your home, choosing clothing, and making other daily decisions.

 

Red is the most intense and arousing color and is closely associated with both love and hatred. Accordingly, research has found red to be a strong example of the link between color and mood. Seeing red can provoke a flight-or-fight response, which increases your blood pressure and heart rate. It also can be disruptive to thought, with researchers finding that exposure to red hampered people's abilities to complete puzzles. Choosing a red lipstick, dress, or tie can attract attention and raise interest, but using it as a room color could prove overwhelming. 

 

Blue has been proven to be a soothing color. This color has been shown to relax the body and reduce your heart rate. Students shown both blue and white versions of a hospital examination room reported feeling much more relaxed and pleasant in the blue room. Blue would be a good color to use in a bedroom, where it could help lull you to sleep when you'd like to take a daytime nap. 

 

Yellow tends to be a color that promotes happiness and joy in people. This color is associated with optimism, energy, alertness, and adventurousness. Yellow is also intensely arousing, although less so than red, but can be overwhelming when the yellow is too bright. Many companies such as Kodak and Shell use yellow in their advertising to promote optimism and enjoyment. For the individual, wearing a yellow dress or spending time in a yellow sunroom can brighten up the day.

Cancer Fighting Foods

NEEDED TIPS FOR ALL OF US

Garlic - Several large studies have found that those who eat more garlic are less likely to develop various kinds of cancer, especially in digestive organs such as the esophagus, stomach, and colon. Ingredients in the pungent bulbs may keep cancer-causing substances in your body from working, or they may keep cancer cells from multiplying. Experts don’t know how much you need to eat to prevent cancer, but a clove a day may be helpful.

Berries - As a tasty treat, berries are hard to beat. But their juicy goodness also may make them one of the foods to fight cancer. Berries contain particularly powerful antioxidants, meaning they can halt a naturally occurring process in the body that creates free radicals that can damage your cells. Compounds in berries may also help keep cancers from growing or spreading. So, as part of your anti-cancer diet, pick up a handful of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or any other favorite berries today.

Tomatoes - Some research has found that eating tomatoes may help protect men from prostate cancer. The juicy red orbs can help guard the DNA in your cells from damage that can lead to cancer. Tomatoes contain a particularly high concentration of an effective antioxidant called lycopene. Your body may absorb lycopene better from processed tomato foods such as sauce, which means that whole-wheat pasta with marinara sauce could be a delicious way to help lower your risk of this disease.

Veggies - Cruciferous vegetables — the group containing broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower — may be particularly helpful in protecting you from cancer. Researchers have found that components in these veggies can protect you from the free radicals that can damage your cells' DNA. They may also shield you from cancer-causing chemicals, help slow the growth of tumors, and encourage cancer cells to die. They’re a tasty and healthy addition to your anti-cancer diet.

Teas - Tea contains antioxidants called catechins, which may help prevent cancer in a variety of ways, including keeping free radicals from damaging cells. Lab studies have found that catechins in tea can shrink tumors and reduce tumor cell growth. Some — but not all — studies in humans have also linked drinking tea to a lower risk of cancer. Both green and black teas contain catechins, but you’ll get more antioxidants from green tea, so you may want to consider a cup or more in your anti-cancer diet.

Whole Grain - According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, whole grains contain many components that might lower your risk of cancer, including fiber and antioxidants. A large study including nearly half a million people found that eating more whole grains might lower the risk of colorectal cancer, making them a top item in the category of foods to fight cancer. Oatmeal, barley, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread and pasta are all examples of whole grains.
Turmeric - This orange-colored spice, a staple in Indian curries, contains an ingredient called curcumin (not the same as cumin) that might be useful in reducing cancer risk. According to the American Cancer Society, curcumin can inhibit some kinds of cancer cells in laboratory studies and slow the spread of cancer or shrink tumors in some animals. Turmeric is easy to find in grocery stores, and you can use it in a variety of recipes

Green Veggies - Leafy green vegetables like spinach and lettuce are good sources of the antioxidants beta-carotene and lutein. You’ll also find these nutrients in vegetables that are more traditionally eaten cooked, like collard greens, mustard greens, and kale. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, some lab studies have found that chemicals in these foods may limit the growth of some kinds of cancer cells.

Grapes - The skin of red grapes is a particularly rich source of an antioxidant called resveratrol. Grape juice and red wine also contain this antioxidant. According to the National Cancer Institute, resveratrol may be useful in keeping cancer from beginning or spreading. Lab studies have found that it limits the growth of many kinds of cancer cells; in men, moderate amounts of red wine have been linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer.

Beans - Certain fruits and vegetables and other plant foods get plenty of recognition for being good sources of antioxidants, but beans often are unfairly left out of the picture. Some beans, particularly pinto and red kidney beans, are outstanding sources of antioxidants and should be included in your anti-cancer diet. Beans also contain fiber, and eating a high-fiber diet may also help reduce your risk of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

Banana Cinnamon Coffeecake

The original recipe was called Cinnamon Coffee Cake.  I decided to Think With My Taste Buds and change it up a bit.  I had 3 bananas that were ripe and needed to be used, I had some Ricotta cheese that needed to be used and for cinnamon type toppings I prefer brown sugar.  The recipe called for sour cream but I wanted to use up my ricotta which is dryer than sour cream but I thought that adding the bananas and 1/2 cup of water would make up for the moisture that would come from the sour cream.  Plus, I have used ricotta before in cakes and they have always come out moist.  And using the brown sugar instead of regular sugar in my topping worked out perfect.  For changes - add coconut, of course.  Change the spice from cinnamon to allspice, cloves, etc.  All-in-all, this came out perfect and I was able to use up some ingredients that may have gone bad before they were used.  I do think I'll use a few more nuts in the future making but it's still good as it is.
View the recipe by clicking on Martha's Recipe Cabinet

Removing Food Stains

Removing Food Stains

 

Alcoholic Beverages.  Flush the area with cold water or club soda, sponge immediately with a cloth dampened with warm water and 1-2 drops of liquid dish soap.  Rinse with cool water and dry with a hair blower on medium setting. 

 

Butter or Margarine.  Scrape off with the back of a knife.  With washable fabric, work in undiluted dishwashing liquid, wash and dry.  On old stains, spray it with WD40, work in undiluted dishwashing liquid and wash in hottest water possible for the fabric.  Don’t iron the fabric until all traces of the grease has been removed.  Ironing will only set the stain and make it impossible to remove.  For dry clean only fabrics, take to the cleaner and point out the stain to them.

What to Look for When Buying Chicken

I cook a lot of chicken, especially in the summer on the grill.  While looking around for some new recipes I ran across these tips from Perdue on how to buy chicken and thought everyone would benefit from reading these.

1. Give the package a little squeeze.  Are there signs of ice along wings, backs or edges?  Some chicken producers blast their birds with air as cold as -40o F.  Freezing causes a breakdown in protein, loss of natural juices, and reduced tenderness. Also,  when you cook a frozen bird, the bones and nearby meat may turn an unappetizing dark color.  (I've seen this happen before with my Thanksgiving turkey).
   
2. Look at the thickness of the meat in proportion to the bone.  If, for example, the breast looks scrawny, you're paying a lot for bone rather than meat.  (I always look for large, plumb breasts for meat value as well as moist meat when cooked).
   
3. Read the labels so you know what you are getting.  Many different parts and combinations are available, and some look surprisingly alike..  The label tells exactly what is inside.  (I've made the mistake of not reading the label and ended up with more rib meat than breast meat).
   
4. Ask questions.  If any meat or poultry product doesn't look, feel, or smell just right, check with the professionals behind the counter. (If it doesn't look, feel or smell good to me, I simply don't buy).
   
5. Notice the pull date.  Most stores are scrupulous about removing chicken before the pull date expires but sometimes there's a slip-up. (Some stores will add seasonings to their meats on or just before pull date making the meat look appealing and easier to sell).
   
6. Was the chicken well-cleaned?  Or are there little traces of feathers or hairs?  These can look really unattractive when the bird is cooked. (Before cooking, I check my poultry over closely for these missed items).
   
7. Is the chicken stored correctly on the chilling shelf, or are the trays of chicken stacked so high that the top ones aren't kept cold?  When that happens, the shelf life of the top ones is seriously shortened. (I actually pull my meats from the back of the stack and not up front or on top).
   
8. Is the meat case kept so cold that the fresh chicken is frozen and ends up with ice crystals on the tray? If so, complain to the manager. (This I've never seen before).
   
9. Look at the ends of the bones.  Are they pink or are they  turning gray?  Generally, the more pink the bone ends are, the fresher the chicken. (This too is not something that I've seen.  For me, if I saw graying I would pass on buying that package completely).

From the Perdue Chicken Cookbook

8 Easy Steps on How to Bake Potatoes with a Camping Grill

When my kids were young it wasn't unusual to find us camping just about every weekend.  We all loved the great outdoors, the smell of a camp fire, fresh caught fish cooking on the grill and even sleeping in a sleeping bag on the hard ground.  We camped in everything from a tent to a camper and loved it all.

Meals, while camping, can be a challange, especially when there are kids around.  Hot dogs and hamburgers can only be eaten so many times before they actually want something a little closer to home cook meals.  So what is better than a good old baked potato cooked over the grill?  You can add your cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, broccoli, just about anything you might add at home.  And baking potatoes with your camping grill is simple. All you have to do is prepare your camping grill, wash and peel your potatoes, poke some holes on them, wrap them in aluminum foil, put them on the grill, check on them occasionally, and serve once ready.

Camping is a fun experience and we often find ourselves busy exploring and engaging in various outdoor activities like hiking, hunting, and the likes. That is why most campers wanted to bring with them foods that are easy to prepare, cook, eat and dispose. An example of which are potatoes, one of the many favorite and basic camping food.

Potatoes can be traveled well because they don’t spoil easily even without refrigeration. You can also come up with lots of delicious recipes from it. Below are the most basic steps in baking potatoes with a camping grill.

Step 1: Prepare camping grill

It is best that you prepare the grill first before everything else. Clean it, let it dry, and preheat grill just like when you’re baking on an oven.

Step 2: Wash and peel potatoes

Wash potatoes thoroughly with water and peel off outer skin. If you don’t want to bake them whole, you can slice them into smaller pieces.

Step 3: Poke some holes

Poke some holes on them using a fork. Holes help in absorbing the seasonings and flavorings that you would add later. They will also allow ventilation and hasten cooking.

Step 4: Add some oil and some seasoning

Layer the potatoes with some oil and then sprinkle some salt, pepper or other seasoning that you prefer. The oil will help in the absorption of seasonings and will give the potatoes the golden color when they are cooked.

Step 5: Wrap them in aluminum foil

After seasoning and adding flavor to the potatoes, place them in individual aluminum foils and wrap them nicely. The aluminum foil helps in cooking them faster for it conducts heat well, and it also helps in preventing the potatoes from being burnt directly.

Step 6: Put them on the grill

Put the wrapped potatoes on the grill. It would take approximately 15 to 45 minutes to cook them but it all depends on how hot the grill is. Turn them often so that they won’t get burnt.

Step 7: Check occasionally

Check the potatoes occasionally. You will have to make a small opening on the foil to do this. A light brown crispy appearance will tell you that they are ready. But the best way to tell if they are cooked properly is by poking them again with a fork or a toothpick. The potatoes are ready when the fork or toothpick goes right in easily.

Step 8: Serve once ready

Remove wrapped potatoes from the grill, remove the foils, and serve while still hot.

Now that baking potatoes are just easy as the eight basic steps mentioned above, it will now also be easy for you to try different baked potato recipes. Learn to experiment and in no time, you’ll be serving lots of delicious baked potato dishes for everyone.

4 Ways to Make Your Own Personalized Gifts

Anyone can go to the store and pick up a gift for someone, but to me one of the best gifts you can give is one that you've made or at least had personalized.  I cook so most of my gifts are creations from the kitchen and I personalize them with little stickers that say who they are to and from.  I sometimes try to find pretty bowls, glasses or dishes that has at least the person's last initial engraved on.  But there are many other ways to personalize the perfect gift even if you don't cook.  I work with several golfers and something as simple as having a golf towel monogrammed makes a perfect office Christmas gift.  I ran across this article and thought it so helpful that I wanted to share it with everyone.

 

To make your own personalized gifts, you might want to consider these four interesting techniques: make use of your skills and talents, make a practical assessment of your spare time, follow proper time management, and brainstorm for creative gift ideas.

Giving family and close friends personalized gifts is a great way to make them happy and feel important. Moreover, when you make your own customized gifts, they become even more special. Here are a few helpful tips so you know how to make your own presents for whatever type of occasion the requires a gift:

Make use of your skills and talents

Consider your talents and skills. If you are skillful in painting, then make a beautiful painting and frame it as your gift to someone special in your heart. If you are talented in composing songs, come up with a special song as your present. If you are very good in cooking and baking, make the favorite pastries and cookies that your recipient will truly enjoy.

Make a practical assessment of your spare time

Before deciding to make your own personalized gifts, make sure you have fully assessed the availability of your spare time so you can finish everything. If you intend to give goodies for Christmas, calculate how long it will take you to go to the store for the supplies, to bake them, and wrap every package. Otherwise, you might just end up having time only to buy your ingredients only and not enough time to bake anything at all. That is a waste of money.

Follow proper time management

Proper time management will make it possible for you to finish your entire gift-giving project without inducing stress on you. Ensure that making your own gifts is going to be a pleasant and enjoyable experience for you. When you decide on a certain type of custom-made gifts, make a timetable for every specified task needed to accomplish everything. Follow your schedule, and you will surely achieve your goal.

Brainstorm for creative gift ideas

There are a hundred ideas on the types of gifts to make. Coming up with an excellent idea is so easy when you have fully organized your thoughts on what you want to give to someone. To guide you, here are a number of suggestions. It is up to you to determine which ones suit your time, money, capability, and, of course, the ones that your receiver will really appreciate.

* Make a photo calendar with your recipient’s photos.

* Make an apron for someone who enjoys cooking and baking. Make it more personal by adding his/her embroidered name on the front pocket.

* Make a poem about your loved one and print it on beautiful stationery.

* Bake your specialty pastries, wrap them with colorful food wrappers and place the creatively in a basket.

* Paint small terracotta pots and fill them with various cute items such as magnets, candles, and the like. You can make it more customized by adding the initials of your receiver on one side.

* Compile various favorite songs of your gift recipient in one CD, label it with the receiver’s name. Be sure to include the occasion too.

* Give the recipient a photo in a picture frame you decorated. You can decorate around the frame using beads and cutout letters to form her name.

Palm Leaf - Phase 3 - Bowls

My final comments on the Palm Leaf disposable/biodegradable dishes that were sent to me by MarxFoods.  Today I made a big pot of veggie/beef soup.  This was the ultimate test for the Palm Bowls and they passed with flying colors.  They held up to hot soup better than any disposable bowl I've ever used.  No leakage and the bottom of the bowl actually stayed cool but the soup stayed hot.

So, after all of the tests I've put these dishes through, I give them a thumbs up.  For more information on ordering, visit www.marxfood.com

Grandma's Cheesecake - 1960s

This recipe came from my wonderful friend Lillian. She ran across it in a little paper cookbook that she bought many years ago at the cost of 10 cents. It dates back in the 1960s.

View the recipe by going to Martha's Kitchen Korner

Landslide Cake

A REAL FLOP!?

As I've said before... "if you cook, you are going to have flops now and then."  But you learn from those "flops."  The cake in this picture was a "flop" to me.  I made it to serve to my Sunday Morning Coffee group and would have thrown it in the trash if there had been time to make something else.  Then I decided to go ahead and serve it telling them upfront it was a "flop."  They actually loved it and one even came up with the name Landslide Cake.  So, here is the recipe and a way to actually fix the problem of it falling apart.

1 butter pecan cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
3/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 container of Caramel Icing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cake mix, eggs, water and oil until well blended.  Fold in apples and nuts.  Pour into 13 x 9" baking dish.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Ice while still warm.

These are the change s I made.  #1 - my apples were too large.  They need to be chopped really small.  #2 - the nuts were too large.  They needed to be chopped fairly small.  #3 - I used a Bundt pan and since I wanted to ice while the cake was warm, taking it out of the pan was a problem.  The size of the apples and nuts made most of them settle at the bottom of the cake causing it to start cracking as it came out of the Bundt pan.  Solution - use a flat pan like the 13 x 9" and don't take it out.  Use it to serve your cake from.  Another problem with it becoming a "Landslide Cake" was the weight of the icing.  With the cake still being hot, the weight of the icing made it fall apart even more.  BUT... the taste is great.  So, make it in a flat pan and ice it while warm without removing it from the pan.  End of problems.

Palm Plates - Phase 2

I've done another test on the Palm Plates sent to me by MarxFoods.  Today I heated lasagna in the microwave to see how they fared with the grease from cheese, the acid from the tomatoes, and how they held up in the microwave.  The pictures tells it all.

With these plates being made from a plant I wasn't sure how it would work out but as you can see, the plate didn't burn, brown nor catch on fire.  It didn't loose it's strength, it stayed sturdy and I could still use a knife to cut my lasagna into bite size pieces. 

Tonight I also made a plate of spaghetti and meat balls to see how something that heavy would hold up.  It's didn't even begin to bend when I held it by one side.  You might also want to check Martha's Recipe Cabinet for the meatball recipe.  This is a new recipe that I'm calling Beef and Sausage Meatballs.  They sure are good!

Tomorrow, Phase 3 will be the final and ultimate test... Home made veggie soup using a Palm Leaf Bowl

Palm Plates - Opinion Phase 1

MarxFoods sent a box of "Palm Plates" for me to try and give my opinion on.  I could do tell you that these are disposable, biodegradable, made from palm leaves and are great for those of us who are Eco conscious, but that wouldn't be a totally fair review.  So I've decided to give my review and opinion in phases.  In this first phase I'll tell you about "Palm Plates" and give you a couple of sites that you can go to and read the claims for yourself.  Also in this phase I'll show you a plate and tell you about my 1st step of usage.  So here goes Phase 1 starting with "How the Palm Plates are Made."

1.  Freshly fallen, naturally discarded sheaths of the leaves of the Adaka palm tree are collected.  To be clear, these are not pulled off the tree, nor are any trees cut down, as this is a non-timber forest resource.  The trees naturally shed their old leaves, which are then picked up and put to good use.
2.  Each raw sheath is then rinsed with water to remove any clinging dirt.  It is then hand washed in a natural mixture of water and turmeric. The leaves are then rinsed a third time in water.
3.  Once clean, the palm sheaths naturally air dry.
4.  The palm leaves are then hand stretched and flattened. Various plate profiles, including round, square and hexagon-shaped dinner plates, are molded using a heated press.  Multiple plates (of differing shapes and sizes) are often cut from each leaf in order to reduce waste.
5.  Once clean and cut, each plate is sun-dried and packaged in groups of 25, which is how they’re delivered to you.

In this picture, I tested the plates with a salad.  It was sturdy, the dressing didn't soak in, the fork didn't pierce the plate, I was actually able to use a knife to cut up my lettuce when needed.  And to complete the test of Phase 1 I rinsed the plate off and found that you could actually reuse it for another dish, cutting down on disposable dishes.

In Phase 2 I'll see how it holds up with lasagna.
For more info go to MarxFood

Eating Fruit - This is Great!

EATING FRUIT

This is informative!

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. 

Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer!

Can you believe this? For those who like to drink cold water, this applies to you. It's nice to have a cold drink after a meal, however, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you've just consumed, which slows digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal. 

A serious note about heart attacks.

HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE

Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they're asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Be careful, and be aware. The more we know, the better our chance to survive. 

A cardiologist said if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

It  can even be your life