Controlling Cholesterol - Do's and Don'ts

I found this information on Spark People and decided to share.  If you're like me you have high cholesterol and need all the help you can get to lower it.

Heart disease is a scary thing. In the face of dire risk factor statistics and horror stories about cholesterol, you can easily get rattled. You might feel overwhelmed by the whole cholesterol question, and feel like you face uninformed life and death decisions every time you sit down at the table.

But reducing your risk of heart disease is not an impossible task. All it takes is a few simple adjustments.

Your cholesterol level is determined by several factors, including your genetic makeup, your diet, and certain lifestyle choices. You can’t do anything about genes passed down from Grandpa Charlie, but you can change your future with a few new, heart-friendly lifestyle choices.

The list below contains several strategies to help you develop cholesterol-smart, heart-healthy habits. These nutritional do’s and don’ts won’t have you feeling deprived, or require you to train for a marathon. They will, however, make your heart very happy. And a happy heart has nothing to be afraid of.

DO watch your cholesterol intake. Dietary cholesterol (the cholesterol you eat) may raise blood cholesterol levels. Limit dietary cholesterol to 300 milligrams a day.

DO limit the fat in your diet. A diet rich in fat encourages weight gain and may lead to elevated blood cholesterol levels.

DON’T eliminate all fat from your diet. You need some fat in your diet for good health. Fat adds pleasure to your meal and makes you feel satisfied after the meal. Fat also gives flavor, texture, and moisture to food.

DO choose olive oil and canola oil for salad dressing, sautéing vegetables, cooking and baking. They are rich in monounsaturated fat, the heart healthy fat.

DON’T forego seeds and nuts, like almonds, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts. These are high in the healthy monounsaturated fats. A small handful 3-5 times a week can help prevent heart disease and increase your HDL (high density lipoprotein, the good cholesterol) levels.

DO find more soluble fiber. Soluble fiber may help lower blood cholesterol levels. It is found in oats, rice, bran, barley, dried peas and beans, and certain fruits like prunes and apples.

DON’T overlook complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Choose more whole grain breads and cereals, pasta, brown rice, and dried beans and peas. Enjoy fruits and vegetables more often.

DON’T overindulge in salt. High blood pressure is associated with a diet high in sodium. Check labels carefully and watch the amount of salt you use in cooking and at the table.

DO cut back on trans fatty acids. Trans fatty acids are formed during the process of hydrogenation, which makes a fat more saturated and extends its shelf life. Avoid the term "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" on the ingredient list of margarines, as well as packaged foods, cookies and crackers.

DON’T forget to go fishing. Fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, is good for cholesterol. It is recommended to eat at least 6-8 ounces of baked or broiled fish each week. Salmon, mackerel, tuna, and halibut are excellent sources.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 14 (End)

More cool facts you may not know

*More than 16 million one dollar bills are printed each day.

*The average dollar bill lasts 21 months in circulation.

*One-dollar bills make up 45 percent of all bills printed by the U.S. government each year.

*If you had 10 billion one-dollar notes and spent one every second, it would take 317 years for you to go broke.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 13

·        Fun activities you can do with a dollar bill

Track your bills. Go to the website Where's George? and enter the serial number of the bill. If the bill has been in circulation long enough, you might be able to see where your bill has been as it travels from wallets to registers and back. After you enter your bills, check back later to see where they have gone.

Play dollar-bill poker. Each of you takes a dollar bill and examines the green serial numbers as if they were a hand of playing cards. Make your best poker hand and see who wins

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 12

How many groups of 13 can you find?

Answers:

*The eagle is holding an olive branch in its right talon with 13 leaves and 13 fruits.
*In its left talon, the eagle is holding 13 arrows.
*The shield over the eagle's chest has 13 bars.
*Over the eagle's head, there are 13 stars.
*The phrase E Plurbus Unum, on the scroll hanging from the eagle's mouth, has 13 letters.
*The phrase Annuit Coeptis has 13 letters
*The pyramid has 13 steps.
*The green seal of the department of the treasury has a chevron (a V-shaped stripe) with 13 stars.
*There are leaves and fruit on either side of George Washington totaling 13 — eight leaves and five fruits.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 11

How many groups of 13 can you find?

Thirteen states came together to form the United States. The number 13 is represented in many places on the dollar bill.

Check 1st - Answers are on the next post.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 10

What does E Pluribus Unum mean?

"Out of many, one." The 13 disparate colonies came together to form one nation.

Why a bald eagle? The founders wanted an animal native to America to be the new nation's symbol. In its talons the eagle holds arrows and olive branches, signifying war and peace.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 9

Why is there an unfinished pyramid with a glowing eye?

Thomson explained the sturdy pyramid as a symbol of "strength and duration". He did not explain its unfinished state, but many believe it signified that our nation remained unfinished. The pyramid also stops at 13 steps, the number of the original colonies.

The "Eye of Providence" is a visual representation of the words Annuit Coeptis, and reinforces the founders' notion that God looked upon the endeavor of the new nation with favor. Many theorists mistakenly believe the symbolism of the eye is related to the Freemasons (a secret society whose members believed they were under the careful scrutiny of God), but the symbolism of the glowing eye is far older than any Freemason thinking. Scholars have traced versions of the symbol as far back as the ancient Egyptians.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 8

Why is MDCCLXXVI on the bottom of the pyramid?

The letters are Roman numerals for 1776. M is 1,000, D is 500, CC is 200, L is 50, XX is 20, VI is 6. Add the numerals on the pyramid together and you get the year 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, and when the Novus Ordo Seclorum began.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 7

Beneath the pyramid, what does Novus Ordo Seclorum mean?

These Latin words mean "New order of the ages." Charles Thomson, a statesman involved in the design of The Great Seal of the United States, proposed the phrase to signify the beginning of what he called "the new American Era," which he said began in 1776 with the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 6

What does Annuit Coeptis mean?

The first of three Latin phrases on the back of the bill is translated as "God has favored our undertakings." Many founders, Franklin and George Washington among them, believed that God's will was behind the successful creation of the United States.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 5

The Great Seal of the United States

The green back of the dollar bill features the two sides of The Great Seal of the United States. The founding fathers approved its design in 1782. Ben Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson all had a hand in devising it. The seal provides great insight into the values of the newborn nation and, like the Constitution, provides a direct link to its formative days.

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 4

Can you find any tiny owls or spiders hidden on the front of the bill?

Many people believe they can see a tiny owl (some say it is a spider) next to the large "1" on the upper right of the bill. If you look at the shield shape that surrounds that "1," the tiny owl rests on the top left corner.

More than likely, the markings are nothing, just a point where the webbed design of the border varies. That won't stop some people from associating the peculiar detail with Masonic symbols, or with more practical things, like anti-counterfeit measures. What do you think?

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 3

On the face of a dollar, what does the letter inside the circular seal mean?

The black seal with the big letter in the middle signifies the Federal Reserve bank that placed the order for the bill.

A = Boston
B = New York City
C = Philadelphia
D = Cleveland
E = Richmond, Va.
F = Atlanta
G = Chicago
H = St. Louis
I = Minneapolis
J = Kansas City
K = Dallas
L = San Francisco.

The letter also corresponds to the black number that is repeated four times on the face of the bill. For example, if you have a bill from Dallas with the letter K, then the number on the bill will be 11 because K is the eleventh letter in the alphabet.

Prepare to be Amazed! - Part 2

·         

What kind of paper are the bills made from?

Bills are made from a blend of linen and cotton, which is why they don't fall apart in the wash the way paper does. If you look closely, you can see red and blue silk fibers woven throughout the bill. The threads are thought to be an anti-counterfeit measure.

Hint: Look in the white spaces on the face of the bill for little bits of the colored thread. They look like lint but you can't scratch them off!

Prepare to be Amazed - Part 1

More info from the Grandpartent.com site that I just had to share.

Did you know a dollar bill has hidden pictures, flecks of color, and mysterious symbols? And that’s just the beginning. What do all those seemingly random letters and Latin phrases mean, anyway? Now you can find out — and share the answers with your grandkids.

A dollar is worth far more than you realize — it’s a chance to teach your grandkids something really cool. Read on to find out just how valuable it really is.

The Basics: How much is a dollar worth?

The question seems simple, but the answer is quite complex. Since 1973, the dollar bill has had no value tied to it. You cannot trade in a dollar to the government for gold, silver, or any other commodity. The value of the nation's currency is related to the decree by the government that a dollar is legal tender for all debts. This means if someone attempts to pay a debt using dollars, the person being paid must accept the money or the law no longer recognizes the debt. This is important enough that the phrase is printed on every bill the government creates.

It is also vital for the nation's citizens to agree that the bills have value. If the members of a society decided that they did not believe in the currency, it would quickly be worth no more than the paper it is printed on. For the record, each bill costs the government 6.4 cents to print.

Spinach Dip Eggs

Boy is this a delicious change to the traditional deviled eggs!  Instead of mayo I used Tostitos Creamy Spinach Dip.  Simply add enough to make the yolks creamy as they would be with mayo.   This dip not only has spinach but also red bell peppers, water chestnuts and a touch of garlic.  This flavor is simply delicious!  And they are pretty too.

This dish is just another way that proves you should 'Think With Your Taste Buds'.  Try other dips and see what flavors you might like.  Onion Dip would be good and maybe even Cheese Dip.

Many Uses of Rubbing Alcohol Part 5 (End)

9. Nail polish remover

This works in a pinch if you don't have real nail polish remover in the house. Put some rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball and rub over the polish. It might take some rubbing, but the polish will come off.

10. Windshield washer fluid

"Combine one quart of rubbing alcohol, one cup water and two tablespoons liquid dishwashing soap or laundry detergent," says Cobb. "This solution should not freeze even at 30 degrees below zero."

Many Uses of Rubbing Alcohol Part 4

6. Sneaker deodorizer

If your running shoes smell funky, this can work to take away the smell, but the smelly areas needs to be saturated, says Cobb. Take rubbing alcohol, put some in a spray bottle and spray inside the shoes. Let dry overnight, and the odor should be gone.

7. Tick remover

This is a popular tip from around the web, which works sometimes, but not always, says Cobb. "The idea is to stun the tick with the rubbing alcohol so it lets go and is easy to remove," says Cobb. There's no harm in trying. If you've got a tick, put rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and gently rub it on the area with the tick. Then use tweezers, as usual, to remove.

8. Remove garlic smell from hands

If you can't get the smell off your hands, pour rubbing alcohol onto hands and work in really well, then wash hands as usual with soap and water.

Many Uses of Rubbing Alcohol Part 3

4. Grass stain remover

Grass stains can be particularly difficult to get out. "Undiluted rubbing alcohol works wonders on grass stains," says Cobb.  Work it into the stain, let sit 10 minutes and launder as usual.

5. Appliance cleaner

Mix two parts rubbing alcohol and one part water in a spray bottle.  Spray on your appliances and buff clean. This also works on stainless steel appliances and leaves them streak-free.

Many Uses of Rubbing Alcohol Part 2

2. Bathroom cleaner

"Wet a cloth or paper towel with rubbing alcohol and rub firmly on bathroom fixtures," says Cobb. Buff with a soft cloth or dry paper towel. "This works well for water spots, too," she adds. 

3. Window cleaner

This formula from Cobb uses no water. Combine one pint rubbing alcohol, two tablespoons of ammonia and two tablespoons liquid dish soap.  Apply to the window using a nylon-covered sponge, rinse and buff dry.  "This is also great for screen stains, hard-water spots and bird stains," she says."If you're polishing shoes, first rub them with a little undiluted rubbing alcohol," says Cobb. "The polish will go on smoother."

Many Uses of Rubbing Alcohol Part 1

(This information came from Grandparents.com )

Most people keep rubbing alcohol in their bathroom and use it as a disinfectant for cuts or as a sterilizer for things like tweezers. But there are other great household uses, too. We asked Linda Cobb, a.k.a. "The Queen of Clean" and author of the best-selling book Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean, for her favorite tricks. Rubbing alcohol can be a very effective cleaner, says Cobb, but not for everything. 

Though commonly touted on the web to do everything from clean makeup brushes to soothe a sunburn, Cobb says it can dry out both your brushes and skin, so steer clear.

What is rubbing alcohol great for? These 10 things:

1. All-purpose stain remover

Combined with water, rubbing alcohol can be a great spot remover that works on a wide variety of stains from ink to coffee, says Cobb. Combine one part rubbing alcohol with two-parts water to make the spotter. If you use a large spray bottle you can add one bottle of alcohol and two of the alcohol bottles filled with water. Spray this on spots and spills. Wait a few minutes, then launder as usual.

Emotional Eating Part 12 (End)

I'm Secretly Afraid of Being Thin


If you overeat because you fear people's jealousy or reactions to your weight loss - either consciously or unconsciously - you eat to avoid the fear of change.

Tip: If you've lost weight you might feel judged by family members who were more comfortable with you having a bigger body. Use the holidays to remember that being fit is a gift you give yourself. 

Emotional Eating Part 11

Nyah! Nyah! I Won't Grow Up!


If you eat to make yourself feel carefree like a child, you eat to keep yourself from facing the challenges of growing up.

Tip: The Holidays can bring out the child in all of us yet they are better enjoyed with the firm footing of an adult who can make empowered choices (about food, communication, who they see, how much time they spend at relatives, etc.). 

Emotional Eating Part 10

I Use My Body as a Battleground


Emotional eaters often eat to pay back those who have hurt them (often in the distant past). They use their bodies as battlegrounds for working out old resentments. If you do this, you eat to get revenge or control anger.

Tip: The Holidays are a time when this emotional eating habit can really get stirred up. Eating whatever you want in front of those that hurt you in the past can feel like the perfect punishment. Remember, it only prolongs YOUR suffering. 

Emotional Eating Part 9

Fall in Love? I'd Rather Fall in Chocolate!


If you stuff your face in order to avoid your sexuality - either to stay overweight so that nobody desires you or to hide from intimate encounters - you eat to protect yourself from getting too close.

Tip: During the holiday parties this year move away from the dessert table and take a risk by speaking to someone.

Emotional Eating Part 8

I'm Too Busy Eating to Take a Risk


If your appetite kicks in when you're faced with new challenges - if you use food to avoid rising to the test - you eat to protect yourself from the fear of failure.

Tip: With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it's easy to forget taking care of yourself. Don't grab food on the run. Plan your tasks and take your time with them so you don't forget yourself in the busyness of it all. Letting yourself get too hungry leads to poor food choices and binges.

Emotional Eating Part 7

Don't Tell Me What to Eat


If you eat to assert your independence because you don't want anyone telling you what to do, you eat to rebel.

Tip: A lot of scrutinizing eyes might be watching what you're eating during the holidays, just waiting to make a comment. No matter how wrong that is, keep in mind that eating to assert your independence only hurts yourself. 

Emotional Eating Part 6

Food Can't Fill Up the Missing Parts in My Past
If you eat to make up for the deprivation you experienced as a child, you eat to forget the past.

Tip: Holidays can trigger years of hurt feelings and disappointments. How can you create something new this year: your own traditions, your own rituals, something that will set it apart from all the holidays that haven't worked?

Emotional Eating Part 5

I Don't Have Love but I Have Food

If your hunger gets activated because your intimate relationships don't satisfy some basic need like trust or security, you use food to try to fill the gap.

Tip: Holidays can really bring up a lot of disappointment in your intimate relationships (or sadness if you lack an intimate relationship or quality friendships). Attracting the right lover means loving yourself. How can you give yourself what a lover might give you this holiday season? 

Emotional Eating Part 4

When I'm Chewing I Can't Hear My Inner Critic

If you tend to become hypercritical of yourself - if you label yourself "stupid," "lazy," or "a loser" - you eat to stuff down self-hatred.

Tip: Along with making Holiday Gift-Giving lists, make some lists of how you've grown this year and the things you love about yourself.

Emotional Eating Part 3

Food: My One Faithful Friend

If you crave food when you have tension in your close relationships, or feel disconnected form people, you eat to avoid feeling the pain of rejection or anger.

Tip: Holidays are a time when you can be surrounded by those you love or those who really push your buttons. Take some time before the holidays to address unresolved conflicts with loved ones. 

Emotional Eating Part 2

I Stick Up For Myself by Stuffing Myself Up

If you react by getting hungry when others talk down to you, take advantage of you, belittle you, or take you for granted, you eat to avoid confrontation.

Tip: Holidays are a time to stand up for yourself and not take things personally. Sometimes, standing up for yourself means knowing when to walk away from someone you can't reach a resolution with.

Emotional Eating Part 1

I don't remember where I found this but with the holidays coming up I thought it might be a good repost.

It might seem like holiday eating comes from the fact that delicious foods are readily accessible almost everywhere you go, but that is a small part of it. Emotional Eating is the main reason people gain weight over the holidays. Emotional Eating really takes hold at this time of year because tensions run high. Understanding the 12 types of holiday eating and how to tackle them will help you regain the pleasure of the holidays (or for some enjoy them for the first time) as well as preventing the extra pounds that can pile up at this time of year.



My Adult Pacifier
If you get really hungry when you feel angry, depressed, anxious, bored or lonely, you use food to dull the pain that these emotions cause.

Tip: Holidays can bring up all of these emotions. Spend some time determining what else besides food can soothe your anger, depression, and anxiety.

Sweet Wild Rice

This isn't a real recipe so I'm posting it here... but it is a really tasty dish that you might want to try.

I love Wild Rice Blends and my favorite carries the HT Traders brand.  It has American basmati white rice, wild rice, brown and red rice.  A few days ago I ended up cooking too much rice and didn't know what I would do the the leftover.  Then it hit me.  When I was a kid my mom would make a sweet rice that contained butter, sugar, and canned cream.  I've never tried this using wild rice before so I didn't know if it would work but decided to give it a try.  I opened the refrigerator to get the butter and spotted a partial can of cake icing.  It was the Cinnamon Bun flavor.  Why not?  Instead of sugar and cream I mixed just enough to slightly sweeten the rice.  OMGoodness!  This is so good.  The different textures of the rice gave it a uniqueness.  The slight sweetness and cinnamon was a perfect blend.  I took some to a neighbor and she begged me to cook too much rice and bring her some more.

Think of the possibilities - chocolate, strawberry, cream cheese, pecan & coconut, the list goes on and on.  And it doesn't take much to flavor and sweeten the rice.  Plus, everyone can have a different flavor if they want.  This is a must try.  Just add a little icing mix at a time to your hot/warm rice allowing it to melt.  Then just enjoy.

Mouthwash Uses - Part 6 (End)

(Info from Grandparent.com)

Keep Flowers Fresh

Forget aspirin, pennies, and the other folk tales about keeping flowers fresh. The antibacterial properties in mouthwash make it perfect for extending the life of your bouquet. RealSimple.com recommends a capful for minimum effectiveness. 

Mouthwash Uses - Part 5

(Info from Grandparent.com)

Treat Athlete’s Foot

The high alcohol content in mouthwash helps ward off fungal infections. Pour a bit on a cotton ball or cotton swab and dab infected areas, recommends Prevention.com. You can also soak your feet in one part LISTERINE® with two parts warm water to kill the bacteria and fungi that can lead to athlete’s foot. 

Mouthwash Uses - Part 4

(Info from Grandparent.com)

Clean Your Toilet Bowl

This won’t get rid of stains, but according to ApartmentTherapy.com, mouthwash will disinfect your toilet bowl. Just add half a cup of mouthwash to your toilet bowl and clean the basin with your toilet brush. You can double up on a dose of mouthwash by spitting your morning mouth swish into the toilet bowl.

Mouthwash Uses - Part 3

(Info from Grandparent.com)

Freshen Laundry

Ever noticed your clothes have a stale, musty odor after a trip through the washing machine? According to Clorox’s Mary Gagliardi aka Dr. Laundry, “After a few wash cycles, water that has not completely drained out of your machine can be left behind, resulting in an ideal location for creating bad (not-so-pleasant) odors.” 

Kill the germs for good by adding a cup of alcohol-based, sugar-free mouthwash to your next cycle. Make sure the mouthwash doesn’t contain any artificial colors to avoid staining your clothes. Not only will the mouthwash kill the germs in your clothes, says LifeHacker, but it will disinfect your washing machine and get rid of the stale, musty odor from sitting water.

Mouthwash Uses - Part 2

(Info from Grandparent.com)

Reduce Underarm Odor

According to KilmerHouse.com, a Johnson&Johnson blog, an early advertisement listed LISTERINE® as “Antiseptic, Prophylactic, Deodorant, Non-Toxic, Non-Irritant, Non-Escharotic, Absolutely Safe, Agreeable, Scientific and Strictly Professional.” The antiseptic ingredients in mouthwash — Eucalyptol, Methyl Salicylate, and Thymol — kill the bacteria under your arms, effectively halting the stink attributed to sweat. 

To try this, pour the mouthwash on a cotton ball and wipe your underarm a few times before applying your deodorant. 

Mouthwash Uses - Part 1

Info from Grandparent.com

LISTERINE® was first developed in 1879 by Dr. Joseph Lawrence as an antiseptic for use in surgical procedures. It was then marketed to pharmacies for oral care after studies found that it killed mouth bacteria, but the antiseptic does more than that! Make sure to buy the mouthwash with alcohol to get the most out of these alternative uses ...

Get Rid of Dandruff

This home remedy is specific to dandruff caused by an overgrowth of the yeast-like fungus, malassezia, which lives on the scalp of most adults. When there's too much, it can irritate the scalp and cause excess skin cells to grow. Most mouthwashes contain the antifungal chemical eucalyptol, which prevents malassezia from growing. According to LifeHacker, keep the flakes away with one part mouthwash, one part witch hazel, and 8 parts water. Spritz the mix on your roots and scalp after washing your hair. 

Note: Do not try this if there are any open cuts or scratches on your scalp. 

Apple Cinnamon Puffs

Many of you follow my site The Good, The Bad, The Maybe and will remember my review for the product Apple Cinnamon Puffs.  Well, the company that makes these delicious and healthy treats read it too and sent me a case of them to enjoy as well as play around with and I have been having a ball doing just that.

Here are a couple of things I've come up with using Apple Cinnamon Puffs.

I love Cashew Butter, which is gluten free, and Marshmallow Cream.  I've found that dipping Apple Cinnamon Puffs in my cashew butter or my marshmallow cream is soooo good.  It gives me a little bit of sweetness without all the calories that most desserts/snacks might.

This one has a few more calories but the taste is so worth it.  I drizzled vanilla ice cream with Salted Caramel Sauce, sprinkled it with crushed Apple Cinnamon Puffs and added a few whole puffs for dipping.  This is one everyone will love.  I took a dish over to my 95+ year old neighbor and she immediately picked up a puff, dipped it into the caramel and ice cream and popped it into her mouth!  She loves it and you will too.

I can't wait to come up with more uses for this delicious treat.  If you have suggestions, please let me know and I'll give it a try.

Why Our Feet Smell - Part 6 (The End)

When to see a doctor

In some cases, foot odor can be so foul or persistent that a visit to the doctor is necessary. "If [the previous] steps don’t work, see a podiatrist or dermatologist, who might prescribe a stronger antifungal medication or perform tests to determine an underlying cause for the excessive sweating," suggests Dr. Kosinski. 

Occasionally, a funky smell can be a sign of a larger medical problem, "especially in a person with any immune compromising medical condition," says Dr. Schwartz. "It is critical to be sure to look for a possible cut or wound of the skin or between the toes, any increased redness, or swelling. A severe bacterial infection of the skin or soft tissue will usually produce a terrible odor."

Diabetics should be on particular lookout for foot odor: "If you have diabetes, visit a doctor at the first sign of odor, which may be a sign of a more serious problem," says Dr. Kosinski. "Fungal and bacterial foot infections can progress quickly and become more severe in people with diabetes."