A few extra pounds

 

A few extra pounds helps you live longer, study finds  Telegraph.co.uk - 

 Carrying a few extra pounds may actually be good for you, according to a new study which found overweight people live longer than their more slender peers. While the obese or underweight are at greater risk of death, people marginally overweight have longer life spans than those considered to be of “healthy” weight, researchers claim. The findings defy the commonly held belief that staying slim is the secret to healthy and long life.  Scientists examined the relationship between body mass index and death among 11,326 adults in Canada over a 12-year period. They discovered that underweight people were 70 per cent more likely than people of normal weight to die, and extremely obese people were 36 per cent more likely to die. However, modestly overweight individuals were 17 per cent less likely to die, the study showed.  The relative risk for obese people was nearly the same as for people of normal weight, the report concluded. The research was conducted by experts at Statistics Canada, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland State University, Oregon Health & Science University, and McGill University. Commenting on the findings, David Feeny from the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, said: “It’s not surprising that extreme underweight and extreme obesity increase the risk of dying. “But it is surprising that carrying a little extra weight may give people a longevity advantage.” However, the researchers also warned people of normal weight not to try to put on extra pounds in the hope of improving their health.” I would not interpret our results as suggesting that if you are normal you should gain weight and get into the overweight category,” Mr Feeny said. Fellow researcher Mark Kaplan, professor of Community Health at Portland State University, added: “Our study only looked at mortality, not at quality of life. “There are many negative health consequences associated with obesity, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.” The researches said carrying slightly more weight than normal may be beneficial in later life because it prevents people from becoming dangerously underweight when faced with health problems.

Excess Pounds, but Not Too Many, May Lead to Longer Life New York Times

Study: Overweight People Live Longer WebMD

The Canadian Press - Reuters - CBC.ca - Ontario Now

all 85 news articles »

 

A few extra pounds after 45 years of age now tends to help  you live longer, maintain your health, and I happened to know that this is really true even due to a recent experience of one of my relatives, who was in the 80’s  and they had a sudden large loss of weight due to unexplained blood loss, anemic and they next were unable to regain quickly their strength, weight and faced more health difficulties as a result.

 

Irrespective all persons should still watch what they eat,  cut back on their salt and sugar intake, and use salt,  sugar substitutes now as well

 

UNDENIABLE

 

 Recognition of the problems is the first start..

 

IT IS UNDENIABLE THAT A DIET ALONE DOES NOT HELP TO DEAL WITH IMPROVING ONE’S HEALTH, THAT IS ONE EATING PROPERLY, RATHER IT TAKES ALSO A DEFINITE CHANGE IN ONE LIFESTYLE ALL TOGETHER.. THUS RECOGNIZING ALSO WHAT FOODS, OTHER ITEMS ARE GOOD AND THOSE THAT ARE BAD  AS WELL. Pressure and Stress included.

What we eat, proper sleep, proper exercise, personal stress reduction  are all important as well.  While it is well known that we all thrive on a certain amount of pressure and in fact in life, for  it seems we all need some incentive pressure to do our best. However, if this pressure next becomes continual, or excessive it can be mostly be counter productive and lead to serious, unbeneficial stress.

 

At first, we may next  just be irritable, snappy, unable to think clearly, and make more than a few silly mistakes. However, if the now rather  bad stress, pressure continues, and we fail to do anything about it, our personal performance and even our health will signifcantly drop. We may develop serious physical, health  symptoms or mental symptoms, problems such as anxiety and eventually a serious depression. We need to face realities firstly, always.
 
Dramatic stress reduction also still is a real NEED in reality for many persons.  Most people still do take an ostrich approach to their fears, problems in life, rather than firstly recognizing, and  admitting the problems that  they are facing  and next researching, learning how to deal with them effectively, for example what is causing you to get a loss of sleep in reality..    

 
Do you also want daily, simple techniques you can use to reduce your daily stress? Do you have difficulty sleeping at night? Worried about your job, life, future? In reality there is no miracle, instant simple cure even if many will lie to you, take your money and say there is.. you have to face life, with real work, real effort to resolve your problems still generally too… including
- Overall lifestyle, personal values  review and evaluation
- Identification of major, minor stressors
- Education and evaluation of root causes of stress, Breathing exercises
- Learn to respond to your life  in a more positive and healthy way
- Support and resources for stress reduction
- Simple but very effective goal setting to help drop unnecessary behaviors and develop new and helpful behaviors

 - learning to use Stress reduction techniques that are easy , useful – such as turning off your TV
 

 TOO MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN AN UNREALISTIC WORLD OF FANTASIES, ARE LIVING BEYOND THEIR FINANCIAL MEANS AND NEED TO GET BACK TO EARTH AND ADJUST TO THEIR ACTUAL CAPABILITIES, EXPECTATIONS TOO. Not everything that we want, desire is what we need now as well..  

 
   Employers should provide a stress-free work environment, recognize where stress is becoming a problem for staff, and take action to reduce stress. If you believe this crap than you are really gullible and unrealistic.. It is not the employers who need to take personal responsibility firstly for dealing with the stress in your life but you yourself. Don’t falsely expect any others to look after your good welfare, that is always still your own duties, job too. 

 
So what can we do ?

 
Try to manage your balance between too little and too much pressure by adapting your behaviour and thinking. Also make sure you take time out to recover from the pressures you find yourself under. Exercise and relaxation are paramount.

 
Tips for preventing life’s pressure turning to stress
  
1. Adopt a healthy lifestyle – If we eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and ensure we get adequate rest our body is better able to cope with stress should it occur.
 
2. Know your limitations and do not take on too much. We cause ourselves a great deal of stress because we do not like to say no to people. We like people to like us and do not want to let people down. We then end up doing more than we should. Learn to be assertive and how to say no without upsetting or offending people. Practice saying “No” without feeling guilty.
 
3. Determine what causes you stress and try to change your behaviour to reduce it.
 
4. Avoid unnecessary conflict. Don’t be too argumentative. Is it really worth the stress? Look for win – win situations. Look for a solution to a dispute where both parties can achieve a positive outcome.
 
5. Learn to manage your time more effectively – We waste a lot of time doing unimportant tasks. Prioritise your day and do the important jobs first. The unimportant ones can wait, and often they will disappear completely leaving you time to do other things. Also do not put off the unpleasant tasks. Every time we think about them we cause ourselves stress. Give an unpleasant task a high priority and do it first.
 
6. Take time out to relax and recharge your batteries – You will perform much better after a break and easily make up the time you used relaxing.
 
7. Try to see things differently – If something is bothering you try to see it differently. Talk over your problem with somebody before it gets out of proportion. Often, talking to somebody else will help you see things from a different and less stressful perspective. Try to see the funny side of a situation. Laughter is a great stress reducer. When things cause you stress, try to change the situation. Sometimes however, this is not possible. If this proves to be the case recognise this and accept things as they are.
 
8. Find time to meet good and not bad friends. Good Friends help us see things in a different way. Bad friends will make life worse for us The activities we engage in with friends usually help us relax and we will often have a good laugh. Laughter is a great stress reducer. It boosts the immune system, which is often depleted during stress.
 
9 .Avoid alcohol, nicotine and caffeine as coping mechanisms. – Long term, these faulty coping mechanisms will just add to the problem. For example, caffeine is a stimulant and our body reacts to this with the stress response.
 
10 .If you do become stressed, engage in some form of physical activity and try a relaxation technique. Physical activity will work off the biochemical and physical changes that occur within your body due to stress. Relaxation helps your body return to its normal healthy state. Good relaxation techniques include breathing exercises, massage and a variety of complimentary therapies.  http://www.andersonpeakperformance.co.uk/personalstresstips.htm
.

 

Possible quick stress reduction techniques 

 
If you are stressed, do one or all of these things, The key to de-stressing in the moment is getting away from or removing yourself from the stressor. In this modern world it is difficult if not impossible to immediately change some stressful situations. What we all maybe can do however is change and reduce our exposure,  enable you to change your reaction and relationship to the stressful situations.

 

1 stress reduction idea  – humour
Humour is one of the greatest and quickest devices for reducing stress.
 
2 stress reduction idea  – brisk walk and self-talk
Go for a short quick really brisk walk outside.
 
3 stress reduction idea   - rehydrate
Go get a cup or a bottle of water.
 stress reduction technique 4 – catnap or powernap
(Not so easy but still perfectly possible)

 

4 Take a quick nap. It is nature’s way of recharging and re-energising.
A quick 10-30 minutes’ sleep is very helpful to reduce stress.
 
 
Stress is caused by various factors – not all of which are work-related of course  Various US studies have demonstrated that removing stress improves specific aspects of health: stress management was shown to be capable of reducing the risk of heart attack by up to 75% in people with heart disease; stress management techniques, along with methods for coping with anger, contributed to a reduction of high blood pressure, and; for chronic tension headache sufferers it was found that stress management techniques increased the effectiveness of prescribed drugs, and after six months actually equalled the effectiveness of anti-depressants. The clear implication for these ailments is that stress makes them worse.
 
Stress significantly reduces brain functions such as memory, concentration, and learning, all of which are central to effective performance at work.

These are some typical causes of stress at work:
-bullying or harassment, by anyone, not necessarily a person’s manager
-feeling powerless and uninvolved in determining one’s own responsibilities
-continuous unreasonable performance demands
-lack of effective communication and conflict resolution
-lack of job security
-long working hours
-excessive time away from home and family
-office politics and conflict among staff
-a feeling that one’s reward reward is not commensurate with one’s responsibility working hours, responsibilities and pressures disrupting life-balance (diet, exercise, sleep and rest, play, family-time, etc)

Some factors influencing the effects of stress and stress susceptibility
A person’s susceptibility to stress can be affected by any or all of these factors, which means that everyone has a different tolerance to stressors. And in respect of certain of these factors, stress susceptibility is not fixed, so each person’s stress tolerance level changes over time:
-childhood experience (abuse can increase stress susceptibility)
-personality (certain personalities are more stress-prone than others)
-genetics (particularly inherited ‘relaxation response’, connected with serotonin levels, the brain’s ‘well-being chemical’)
-immunity abnormality (as might cause certain diseases such as arthritis and eczema, which weaken stress resilience)
-lifestyle (principally poor diet and lack of exercise)
-duration and intensity of stressors (obviously…)

Some signs of stress
-sleep difficulties
-loss of appetite
-poor concentration or poor memory retention
-performance dip
-uncharacteristic errors or missed deadlines
-anger or tantrums
-violent or anti-social behaviour
-emotional outbursts
-alcohol or drug abuse
-nervous habits

 Here are some simple pointers for reducing stress susceptibility and stress itself, for yourself or to help others:
-think really seriously about and talk with others, to identify the causes of the stress and take steps to remove, reduce them or remove yourself (the stressed person) from the situation that causes the stress.
-Understand the type(s) of stressors affecting you (or the stressed person), and the contributors to the stress susceptibility – knowing what you’re dealing with is essential to developing the stress management approach.
-improve diet – group B vitamins and magnesium are important, but potentially so are all the other vitamins and minerals: a balanced healthy diet is essential. Assess the current diet and identify where improvements should be made and commit to those improvements.
-reduce toxin intake – obviously tobacco, alcohol especially – they might seem to provide temporary relief but they are working against the balance of the body and contributing to stress susceptibility, and therefore increasing stress itself.
-take more exercise – generally, and at times when feeling very stressed – exercise burns up adrenaline and produces helpful chemicals and positive feelings.
-stressed people must try to be detached, step back, look from the outside at the issues that cause the stress.
-don’t try to control things that are uncontrollable – instead adjust response, adapt.
-share worries – talk to someone else – off-load, loneliness is a big ally of stress, so sharing the burden is essential.
-increase self-awareness of personal moods and feelings – anticipate and take steps to avoid stress build-up before it becomes more serious.
-explore and use relaxation methods -
- Counselling may be necessary to identify the cause(s), particularly if the sufferer has any tendency to deny or ignore the stress problem.
- Acceptance, cognisance and commitment on the part of the stressed person are essential.
 
The two simplest ways to reduce stress susceptibility, and in many situations alleviate stress itself (although not removing the direct causes of stress itself) are available to everyone, cost nothing, and are guaranteed to produce virtually immediate improvements. They are diet , exercise,  Sleep and rest are essential for a healthy life-balance.  Physical exercise also is immensely beneficial in managing stress. This is for several reasons:
-Exercise releases helpful chemicals in our brain and body that are good for us.
-Exercise distracts us from the causes of stress.
-Exercise warms and relaxes cold, tight muscles and tissues which contribute to stress feelings.
-Exercise develops and maintains a healthy body which directly reduces stress susceptibility.
-Exercise increases blood flow to the brain which is good for us. Exercises also releases hormones, and stimulates the nervous system in ways that are good for us.
 
And a final point about ‘anger management’…. anger management and stress
The term ‘anger management’ is widely use now as if the subject stands alone. However, ‘anger management’ is simply an aspect of managing stress, since anger in the workplace is a symptom of stress. Anger is often stress in denial, and as such is best approached via one-to-one counselling. Training courses can convey anger management and stress reduction theory and ideas, but one-to-one counselling is necessary to turn theory into practice. Management of anger (and any other unreasonable emotional behaviour for that matter) and the stress that causes it, can only be improved if the person wants to change – acceptance, cognisance, commitment – so awareness is the first requirement. Some angry people take pride in their anger and don’t want to change; others fail to appreciate the effect on self and others. Without a commitment to change there’s not a lot that a manager or employer can do to help; anger management is only possible when the angry person accepts and commits to the need to change.

http://www.businessballs.com/stressmanagement.htm

  The important key also now to personal de-stressing  is getting away temporary from or removing yourself permanently from the stressor. Plus  Developing new habits which regularly remove you and distract you from stressors and stressful situations, pressures is essentially now the basis as to how to manage stress on a more permanent basis. Unresolved negative Stress is believed to trigger 70% of visits to doctors, and 85% of serious illnesses.

 

funnies, cartoons

Heavy drinking-prostate cancer link

 

Heavy drinking-prostate cancer link confirmed  Men who drink 14 or more drinks a week are 20 per cent more likely to develop prostate cancer, according to an international review co-authored by a University of Victoria researcher.

 -  -  - Health Newstrack

all 78 news articles »

 

Boozing men risk prostate cancer: Study Calgary Herald

Study links heavier drinking to increase prevalence for prostate … The Canadian Press

  

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Guard Against Advanced Prostate Cancer U.S. News & World Report -  TUESDAY, March 24 (HealthDay News) — Omega-3 fatty acids could help protect men against advanced prostate cancer, researchers report.

Cancer rates rise, statscan reports Calgary Herald

Omega 3 & Prostate Cancer News/Talk 750 WSB

The Mercury (subscription)  - Total Health Breakthroughs  - Cancer Consultants  - Food Product Design

all 15 news articles »

Telegraph.co.uk

The Money Times

National Business Review

diabetes danger, study suggests DUE TO LACK OF SLEEP

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/03/12/sleep.html

Need 8 hours of shuteye? Even 6 can cut diabetes danger, study suggests

Last Updated: Thursday, March 12, 2009 | 11:17 AM ET

CBC News

People who sleep less than six hours a night are nearly five times more likely than longer sleepers to develop a blood-sugar condition that could lead to diabetes, new U.S. research suggests.

Scientists at the University at Buffalo in New York found “short-sleeper” participants were at higher risk of developing impaired fasting glucose, which can precede Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, and appears most often in middle-aged adults, although adolescents and young adults are developing it at an alarming rate.

Type 2 is the result of the body making too much insulin and not using it effectively, leading to insulin resistance. Insulin helps the body control blood sugar levels.

“This study supports growing evidence of the association of inadequate sleep with adverse health issues. Sleep should be assessed in the clinical setting as part of well-care visits throughout the life cycle,” lead author and research assistant professor Lisa Rafalson said in a news release.

The study was presented Wednesday at the American Heart Association’s 49th Annual Conference in Florida.

It is not the first study to point to sleep as a culprit in diabetes.

Lack of sleep poses other risks

Researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center reported earlier this year that disrupting sleep damages the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels, potentially raising the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Out of an original group of 1,455 participants, the team identified 91 whose fasting blood glucose levels of less than 100 milligrams per deciliter during initial exams in 1996-2001 had risen to between 100 mg/dL and 125 mg/dL at followup exams in 2003-2004.

The 91 were then matched with 273 participants whose glucose levels were below 100 mg/dL during initial exams and at followup. Researchers also matched the groups according to gender, race/ethnicity and year of study enrolment.

After adjusting for age, body mass index, glucose and insulin concentrations, heart rate, high blood pressure, family history of diabetes and symptoms of depression, there was an increased risk of developing impaired fasting glucose among short-sleepers compared to the mid-sleepers — those who slept six to eight hours a night during the work week.

Watch what you eat and drink

 

 

BAD FOOD, ALCOHOL, DRUGS KILL

Heart disease can catch up to you if you don’t watch what you eat

Southwestern Ontario -  By Leslie Beck, RD (NC)-Cardiovascular disease accounts for more deaths than any other disease in Canada.( BUT DON’T FORGET THE NUMBER OF DEATHS CAUSED BY VEHICLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO DRUNK DIVERS TOO)  According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, someone dies every seven minutes from heart disease or stroke in this country.

Heart smarts London Free Press

The Heart Truth Highlights Women’s Heart Health at LG Fashion Week MSNBC

Chillicothe Gazette  - Chipley Florida Online Newspaper - Foster Folly News  - Telegraph-Journal  - Irish Independent

all 16 news articles »

 

Heart attack is directly responsible for about 11% of all deaths in Canada every year. This represents half of all deaths due to coronary artery disease.
In 2003, heart attack was the leading cause of death from circulatory diseases, at 48 deaths per 100,000 Canadians. Lung cancer was the leading cause of death from cancer, at 47 deaths per 100,000. Mortality for heart attack, stroke, and prostate cancer decreased between 2000 and 2003. Heart attack mortality decreased from 56 deaths per 100,000 Canadians in 2000 to 48 in 2003. Stroke mortality fell from 35 to 32 deaths per 100,000 Canadians. Prostate cancer mortality decreased from 27 to 24 deaths per 100,000 men.

DRIVING AT AN UNSAFE SPEED ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 14.5 PERCENT OF  VEHICLE ACCIDENT’S DEATHS AS OPPOSED TO IMPAIRED DRIVING AT 45 PERCENT!

IN ONE YEAR 60% of fatally injured drivers in Canada had a positive reading for blood alcohol and 160,000 people were convicted of impaired   driving .  IMPAIRED DRIVING CONVICTIONS ARE MAINLY ENFORCED 2 MONTHS OF THE YEAR FIRSTLY, AND ARE NOT DONE THE WHOLE YEAR.  gENERALLY alcohol-related driving offences account for approximately 25% of all Criminal Code prosecutions. ” If you drink and drive, it’s everybody’s business”
A  survey of Ontario policing  found that, on average, a police officer laid 2.5 drinking driving charges per year. The study suggests several reasons for low enforcement rates:
not enough personnel (small towns only have one patrol unit that has to be available for emergencies and cannot be sidetracked by an impaired driving situation)
- time-consuming arrest proceedings (including the availability of a technician for BAC  testing)
-attitudes of officers and administrators (not a serious crime, too time-consuming)
- the court system (many forms to process the charge, mistakes lead to acquittals)
-amount of paperwork required (2 hour average to do paperwork) (Vingilis, 1991, 202)

Research ALSO found a significant divergence in the punishments given to impaired drivers BY THE POLICE AND THE COURTS.

In an average year in Canada, impaired driving killed 1,212 persons, injured 71,532, and caused damage to 236,375 vehicles, translating into 1,010 fatal crashes, 48,890 injury-only crashes and 155,510 property-damage only (PDO) crashes, totaling an average of 205,410 crashes in all. In turn, on average, this cost Canadians between $1.90 billion (Real Dollar Estimate model) and $11.28 billion (Willingness to Pay model) dollars, depending on the costing model and assumptions used. To put this another way, that represents a cost of between about $59.00 and $341.00 per Canadian. EXCLUDING THE EXTRA COSTS FOR INSURANCE NOW TOO..

Jurisdiction   Estimated Fatalities,   2006 IMPAIRED DRIVING
British Columbia 458
Alberta 477 
Saskatchewan 157 
Manitoba 144 
Ontario 885 
Quebec 692 
New Brunswick 
Nova Scotia 93 
Prince Edward Island 28 
Newfoundland & Labrador 48 
Yukon, NW Territory & Nunavut 27 
Canada 3,122

Jurisdiction  Estimated % Alcohol-Involved – Fatalities,  2006
British Columbia 36.70% 
Alberta 43.40% 
Saskatchewan 47.90% 
Manitoba 44.60% 
Ontario 34.30% 

In 2006, it was estimated that about 368,396 individuals were injured in motor vehicle crashes. MADD Canada estimates that approximately 75,374 of these individuals were injured in impaired driving crashes (207 per day). Note that this figure does not include impaired crash injuries occurring on the water.

Changes in the way people eat and exercise and

WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT THE CITIZEN’S GOOD WELFARE? 

    

Thousands of cancer cases caused by diet, alcohol and obesity …   Over 40% of breast and bowel cancer cases in rich countries are preventable through diet, physical activity and weight control alone, experts say. Simple measures like cycling to work and swapping fatty foods for fruit can make all the difference, a Clean living way to beat cancer.   1 in 3 Common Cancers May Be Preventable.  Diet, exercise could cut cancer rates by third .Diet is key to staying cancer free

Shun fats, smokes, get out and about for a healthy heart OTTAWA – Changes in the way people eat and exercise and improvements to health care could sharply reduce the death toll from heart attacks and strokes and save billions of dollars, a federal panel said Tuesday. and what is so new about all of that for  I myself have been posting that facts, details truths  on the net for years.. and so I still do  often   wonder why the people in the governments, federal, provincial governments, now  take so long to respond, deal with it positively too..  or they really do not care about the good welfare of the sheep.. all Canadians? they are merely self serving, selfish oriented? 

 

 

Some of the world’s leading experts in nutrition epidemiology have cast a resounding vote in the decades-long debate between treating or preventing cancer: Prevention wins.  Their report, being released today, argues strenuously for diet and exercise as the keys to fighting cancer. It calls research and spending on the treatment of cancer “necessary but not sufficient,” and contends that a far better strategy for reducing the world’s annual tally of 11 million cancer cases would be to develop a public-health policy aimed at preventing people from getting the disease in the first place. The report, issued by the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research, is based on an exhaustive review of nearly 7,000 scientific studies into whether cancer rates are influenced by diet, obesity and exercise.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090226.wcancer26/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home

    
How many times have we now experienced he fact that the selected leaders, cabinet was not like what they had promised they would be, certainly now not like we had expected them rightfully to be as well? Clearly many many  Canadians are still often now really angry at, or disappointed with   the results of the various governments acts,    the selected candidates,  but  now when will we all deal with the root  issue that is the cause of the problems firstly and it is the immoral type of candidates being firstly nominated?  the liars and alcoholics mostly it seems.. and these type of brain damaged people will never do us much good even now as well.
 
We all need to care about the unemployed and the poor people, Elected officials now included. It also  seems even  the governments and it’s managers are too often rather still just for sale to the highest bidder… and it doesn’t care who they are involved with or what they are up to or what it looks like as long as they are rewarding themselves or  their friends, and thus they wrongfully and too tend  not too  really look after all of the good ordinary citizens welfare..  this is still never acceptable. They all Civil and public servants, politicians, need to be regularly supervised too. That is why we need and have the auditors, News media, Opposition parties, concerned citizens to do this too.. and it still generally is not enough as we can see.

Can you believe it that the already rich doctors as well complain they are underpaid, demand more money, and yet these very same doctors only  work 9 to 5, have the holidays and weekend off, even though people get sick all the time now too..

THE DOCTORS AND NURSES NEED TO GET BACK TO CARING AFTER THE SICK PEOPLE.

Many weight loss products like pills, herbs and some private clinics fail to deliver on their promises and governments should be regulating scientifically unproven therapies, obesity doctors say.  I said the same thing in writing to the federal government, health ministers the last 2 decades too.
 
In addition to a doctor the second best thing I discovered was a dietician..
 
Now on top of all that add to that how food manufacturers, drug stores do also make big  profits on health related items
 
 
There is always the obligations to spend the taxpayer’s money  money wisely, free from politics and free from personal agendas. That now still applies to   anybody that   takes part in any amount of this funding.  On this there is no compromise or  shortcuts. Full, real, active  Vigilance by all persons here is still always required in reality. There are still too few cost, money controls — and too many opportunities for fraud and abuse — associated with the biggest outlay of federal money in our own government’s history.
 
 
TWO OF MY PAST NEIGHBORS, MANAGERS,  WHO WORKED FOR CITY HALL OPENLY BOASTED TO ME, AND DEMONSTRATED TO ME FOR YEARS THE COMMON CORRUPTION IN THE LOCAL CITY HALL, DONE BY THEM AND MANY OF THEIR COLLEAGUES. This included their unnecessary out of town trips, their taking stuff, computer accessories,  home from the office for their own personal use, boasted of  their lavish expense accounts, of their doing personal work at the office, and much more. Why did they think that me a tax payer would approve any of such wrong doings was their error. I reported their wrong doings rightfully rather. OTHER MANAGERS OF CROWN CORORATIONS HAD ALSO OFTEN BOASTED TO ME OF THEM DOING SIMILAR THEFTS  AS WELL..
 
Now we had elected the new Conservatives , a new government and a leader that was supposed to be much better, different from all the so called past bad governments. A government that would be reliable, , it will be open, transparent, accountable, better managed, honest, and it would keep it’s pre-election  promises,  would not lie to us too, And next was that so in reality? NO!!! Unacceptable
 
Do first  stop electing, hiring  liars, alcoholics, incompetents, and pretenders mostly.. instead fire all of them
 
actions speak louder than mere words, http://thenonconformer.wordpress.com/
 
Now we all know that prices can vary, even significantly from one  retail store to another, and that price fixings also do exist something the consumer affairs ministers need to supervise with more vigilance than they tend to do so as well now..  DO FORWARD THEM THIS NOTE, REMINDER NOW TOO.
 
Still Shopping in one sole store is a dangerous way to try to save on essential good and health costs, but what do you do when there is not much choice, you are at the mercy of the seller, distributor, who often wrongfully do not hesitate to take advantage of it and to price gouge you. Simple old fashion greed is the basis of the high prices everywhere it seems. Take  for instance 1 in 8 persons is diabetic, but yet   the price of sugar free products is often 300 percent higher or even much more for a start.. the same applies to Margarine, etc
 
NOTE  THE fresh, healthy food IS EXPENSIVE FIRSTLY CAUSE THE RETAILERS HAVE A HIGH PRICE MARK UP ON IT. NOW THAT INCLUDES NOT ONLY FRUITS, AND VEGETABLES but other supposedly more healthier products.. YES THE SHIPPING COSTS FROM CALIFORNIA HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT CALIFORNIA IS IN DRASTIC RECESSION SO YOU WOULD THINK THE PRICES THERE OF THEIR GOODS WOULD BE CHEAPER NOW AS WELL? The old excuse of the price of high rising cost of fuel is no longer valid as well.
  
Toronto Medical Officer calls for $100 food supplement in … The Canadian Press – TORONTO – A Toronto woman says an extra $100 a month in social assistance would be the difference between eating nutritious food and eating whatever is on sale.
Medical community urges health food supplement CTV.ca
HEALTH: Campaign aims to ‘put food in the budget’ Inside Toronto
CityNews
  
 http://thenonconformer.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Based on this review, it concludes that cancer “is mostly preventable,” estimating that about one-third of all cases in advanced countries like Canada could be eliminated by diets that aren’t loaded with fatty, sugary foods, by people exercising regularly and, if they are obese, by slimming down to an appropriate weight. Among the cancers with links to these factors are those of the breast, prostate, mouth and colon.

Another third of cancers are due to smoking, indicating that well over half the cases of the disease could easily be prevented.

“It’s a very compelling case” that cancer incidence could be cut dramatically through prevention, said Shiriki Kumanyika, an epidemiologist at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and a member of an expert panel that oversaw the writing of the report. Also on the panel were such nutrition luminaries as the Harvard School of Public Health’s Walter Willett.

Dr. Kumanyika said scientific evidence strongly supports the estimate that poor diet, obesity and lack of exercise cause one out of three cancers. “I definitely feel confident that it’s at least that much,” she said.

Much of the medical research into the causes of cancer has looked at factors such as genetic susceptibility. But Dr. Kumanyika said studies tracking immigrants and their children who move from areas of low cancer incidence, such as Asia, to countries with high rates, such as the United States, suggest the genetic factor may be overrated. Over time, cancer rates among migrants and their children rise toward the levels prevalent in their adopted countries, suggesting that something common to everyone in the new environment is the cause.    

Although individuals can make decisions to get more exercise or eat better food, thereby reducing their chances of developing cancer, the report says that entities ranging from governments to schools need to develop public-health strategies to reduce the incidence of the disease.

Among the steps it recommends are banning advertising of sugary drinks and unhealthy foods directed at children, a step Quebec has already taken. The report says the Quebec action has led to a decrease in the amount of sugary cereals purchased, particularly among francophones.

It also calls for vending machines that dispense high-fat, sugary sweets or drinks to be moved out of schools and workplace cafeterias.

Another approach that should be considered is having processed meals, snacks and food reformulated to contain less sugar, refined starches, fat and salt, the report says.

To encourage more physical activity, it says society should place less emphasis on elite professional sports that lead people to be sedentary spectators, and instead develop entertainment that inspires everyone to be physically active.

It says cities should be designed for walking and cycling, rather than the current practice of promoting automobile use through road expansion.

Canadians say fresh, healthy food too expensive: Poll

TORONTO — Almost half of Canadians say they are going without fresh, healthy food because it is too expensive, according to a national poll released Monday by the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Health/Canadians+fresh+healthy+food+expensive+Poll/1269731/story.html

The poll showed 47 per cent of Canadians don’t buy fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy and whole grain products, lean meat or fish because of the cost.

The foundation’s annual report on Canadians’ Health also revealed what it called “startling discrepancies” in the cost and availability of basic healthy food from province to province.

“Depending on where you live, some Canadians are often paying more than double to almost six times the price for the same basic healthy food,” the report said.

The foundation said governments need to “create a level playing field” for consumers.

“Many provincial governments regulate the price of alcohol across provinces, but healthy food is subject to significant price variations from one community to the next,” said foundation spokesman Stephen Samis.

“You have to wonder why we control the price of alcohol but allow such price inconsistencies for healthy food — and not just in remote regions of the country — but even between larger metropolitan areas.”

For example, the poll found the cost of six apples ranged from $1.71 in Edmonton to $5.02 in Calgary. In Ontario, where apples are grown regionally, the cost varied from 90 cents in Peterborough to $5.49 in Dryden. A 2.7 kg bag of potatoes ranged from $1.50 in Toronto to $2.15 in Whitehorse, to $6.95 in Yellowknife, N.W.T.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation said the wide variation in the cost of healthy food is even more disturbing when compared to the relatively stable price of pop, chips and cookies.

“Healthy eating is a key factor in preventing heart disease,” cardiologist Dr. Beth Abramson, said Monday. “This report should serve as a wake-up call that healthy eating is in danger of being out of reach for many Canadians, a problem which may only get worse given the current downturn in the economy.”

Last October, the Heart and Stroke Foundation had volunteer shoppers in 66 communities across Canada purchase a list of healthy foods for a family of four for one week.

It found some of the most “disturbing” data was reflected in the price variations of grain products. For example, a package of whole-wheat pasta that cost $2 in Barrie, Ont., was $7.90 in Regina, Sask., and $11.37 in Dawson City, Yukon. A bag of brown rice ranged from $2.19 in Toronto to $7.76 in Winnipeg, to $11.99 in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.

In the case of both milk and cheese, the survey found prices could be more than double depending on where you live.

A pound of lean ground beef could range from $13.21 in Ottawa to $4.99 in Peterborough, Ont. and the Yukon.

The foundation said these price variations may explain why almost half of adults and 70 per cent children in Canada don’t consume the minimum recommended servings of vegetables and fruit established by Canada’s Food Guide.

“This can only encourage unhealthy eating behaviour that will ultimately lead to obesity and risk factors for heart disease,” Abramson said.

 The situation was found to be even worse for First Nations people and Inuit, many of whom live in isolated communities.

In northern Ontario, four litres of milk was $15.70 in Bearskin Lake, compared to $3.49 in Vancouver. A package of whole-wheat pasta was $8.68, compared to $2.00 in Barrie, Ont. Other high cost items included: $10.99 for six oranges; $7.45 for six apples; and $10.88 for a 2.7 kg. bag of carrots. Survey shoppers also found that many healthy foods including chicken legs, frozen fish, fresh tomatoes, fresh broccoli, canned corn, canned peas, frozen mixed vegetables, potatoes and brown rice weren’t available at all in Bearskin Lake.

The study also found that healthy foods such as dried beans and frozen spinach were unavailable in almost one in three grocery stores where the foundation shopped.

The only items that showed little price variation and accessibility from one community to the next were pop, chips and cookies, which Canada’s Food Guide recommends be consumed less frequently.

  Canwest News Service

Now on top of all that add to that how food manufacturers, drug stores do also make big  profits on health related items

-**

What Are the Health Benefits of Garlic?

 

Garlic’s Food Value

An analysis of garlic shows it to contain high percentage of minerals and vitamins. It also contains traces of iodine, sulphur and chlorine.

Natural Benefits and Curative Properties

In herbal medicine, garlic has been traditionally used for such ailments as asthma, deafness, leprosy, bronchial congestion, arteriosclerosis, fevers, worms and liver and gall bladder troubles. Garlic is good for heart, a food for the hair, a stimulant to appetite, a strengthening food, useful in leucoderma, leprosy, piles, worms, catarrhal disorders, asthma and cough. Garlic is regarded as a rejuvenetor. It has been found to help remove toxins, revitalise the blood, stimulate blood circulation and normalise intestinal flora. Garlic juice has a most beneficial effect on the entire system. The ethers in garlic juice are so potent and penetrating that they help to dissolve accumulation of mucus in the sinus cavities, in the bronchial tubes and in the lungs. They help the exudation of toxins from the body through the pores of the skin.

Chest Diseases

Garlic has proved to be highly effective in certain diseases of the chest. It has been found to reduce fetidity of the breath in pulmonary gangrene. If garlic is given in sufficient quantities, it was a marvellous remedy in the treatment of pneumonia. Garlic can also be applied externally to the chest with beneficial results as it is an arritant and rubefacient. In Ayurveda, a decoction of garlic boiled in milk is considered a wonderful drug for tuberculosis. One gram of garlic, 240 ml of milk and 1 litre of water are boiled together till only one fourth of the decoction remains. It should be taken thrice in the day.

Asthma

Three cloves of garlic boiled in milk, can be used every night with excellent results in asthma. A pod of garlic is peeled and macerated and boiled in 120 ml. of pure malt-venegar. After cooling it is strained and equal quantity of honey is mixed and preserved in a clean bottle. One or two teaspoons of this syrup taken with fenugreek decoction once in the evening and before retiring, has been found effective in reducing the severity of asthmatic attacks.

Digestive System Disorders

Garlic is one of the most beneficial foods for the digestive system. It exercises a beneficial effect on the lymph, aids in elimination of noxious waste matter in the body. It stimulates peristaltic action and the secretion of the digestive juices. Crushed cloves of garlic may be infused in water or milk and taken for all types of disorders of the digestion. It has an antiseptic effect and is an excellent remedy for infectious diseases and inflammations of the stomach and intestine. The oil of garlic is absorbed into the alimentary tract and is eliminated partly through the urine. Garlic produces a very marked effects on the intestine. It is an excellent agent as a worm expeller. It has also a soothing effect on the various forms of diarrhoea. Problems such as colitis, dysentery and many other intestinal upsets can be successfully treated with fresh garlic or garlic capsules. One garlic capsule taken three times a day is usually sufficient to correct mild cases of diarrhoea or dysentery. For more persistent cases, upto six capsules a day can be taken. Garlic has be ability to destroy harmful bacteria in the intestines without affecting the beneficial organisms which aid digestion.

High Blood Pressure

Garlic is regarded as one of the most effective remedies to lower blood pressure. The pressure and tension are reduced because it has be power to ease the spasm of the small arteries. It also slows the pulse and modifies the heart rhythm, besides relieving the symptoms of dizziness, shortness of breath and the formation of gas within the digestive track. As these days garlic capsules are available with the chemist shops, the average dosage of two to three capsules a day to be given to make a dent in the blood pressure. Garlic had a dilatory effect on the blood vessels, that is, it had the effect of making the blood vessels wider, thereby reducing the pressure.

Rheumatic Affliction

Garlic has been shown to exhibit an anti-inflammatory property which could account for its effectiveness in the treatment of arthritis and rheumatism. The most popular method is to take the garlic cloves orally, although some reports indicate that pain can also be relieved by locally rubbing the affected parts with cloves of cut garlic. Garlic oil is rapidly absorbed through the skin and into the blood stream and quickly reaches the affected areas.

Heart Attacks

There is proof that garlic helps break up cholesterol in the blood vessels, thus helping in the prevention of hardening of arteries which leads to high blood pressure and heart attacks. If a patient takes garlic after a heart attack, the cholesterol level will come down. The earlier damage may not be repaired but its consumption will minimise the chances of new attacks.

Cancer

Garlic preparations, including extracts and juices, have been used successfully against cancer in both animal and human studies.

Skin Disorders

Garlic has also been used successfully for a variety of skin disorders. Pimples disappear without scar when rubbed with raw garlic several times a day. Even very persistent form of acne, suffered by some adults, has also been healed with garlic. The external use of garlic helps to clear the skin of spots and pimples and boils. The process is further helped by taking the garlic orally also, to purify the blood-steam so as to secure a long-term clearance of the skin. A regular course of the three garlic capsules per day should help to clear minor skin infections quickly.

Wounds and Ulcers

Garlic has been used as an antiseptic in wounds and ulcerations with beneficial results. Garlic juice with three parts of distilled water has been employed as a lotion for celansing infected wounds. Definite improvement is noticed within 24 hours and substantial improvement within 48 hours. Application of dressing containing 15% garlic juice once a day over an ulcer removes pus in a few days. It also relieves pain within a short time.

Diphtheria

Garlic is considered an excellent remedy for diphtheria. Its constant application by chewing a clove of garlic removes the membranes, reduces temperature and relieves the patient. About 30 or 60 gms. of garlic can be used in this way in three or four hours for a week. After the membrane disappears, the same quantity of garlic should be chewed daily. The diphtheric patient has no taste or smell and merely finds the garlic hot.

Whooping Cough

Garlic is an excellent remedy for whooping cough. Syrup of garlic should be given in doses of five drops to a teaspoonful two or three times a day in this condition. It should be given more often if the coughing spells are frequent and violent.

http://flavoursofindia.tripod.com/garlic.html

 

What Are the Health Benefits of Garlic?

Garlic (Allium Sativum)

Garlic is a magical herb that has proven its effectiveness in almost all common ailments. It is very effective in heart diseases particularly in lowering cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides

. So if you are the one having high cholesterol, increase your garlic intake. It will also help you to reduce blood pressure. As garlic helps in reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, it also reduces the risk of heart attacks and heart diseases.

Chemical agents found in garlic are

•Allilin

•Allicin

•Diallyl disulphide

•Ferulic acid

•Saponin

•Beta Carotene

•Beta Sitosterol

•Phytic acid

Minerals found in garlic are

•Magnesium

•Phosphorus

•Calcium

•Selenium

•Zinc

•Folate

•Iron

•Potassium

Vitamins found in garlic are

•Niacin

•Ascorbic acid

•Thiamine

•Riboflavin

Garlic works as an antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic and a germicide. It is also an antioxidant, so diet

rich in raw garlic fights against harmful free radicals. It improves blood circulation, and also helps in prolong erection. It is an excellent remedy for whooping cough. Syrups of garlic is given in doses of five drops to a teaspoonful two or three times a day in this condition.

Garlic helps in preventing blood clots especially if you are prone to blood clots in the legs. It also helps in regulating blood sugar. It helps in relieving the symptoms

of dizziness, shortness of breath and the formation of gas within the digestive track. According to some researches – smokers with high garlic intake have a relatively lower stomach cancer risk than smokers with low garlic intake. It is thought that the allyl sulfur compounds present in garlic prevents cancer by slowing or preventing the growth of the cancer tumor cells.

Apart from above, garlic is a wonderful herb that is very effective in treating various disorders and helps in improving the performance of the body. Below are some conditions in which garlic is very helpful -

•Infections

•Fungal infection

•Hyperlipidemia

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/395331/what_are_the_health_benefits_of_garlic.html 

 

 

What do you know about onions?

 

Onions and their Nutritional values:

rich in vitamins A and E, which are antioxidants. Oxidants are substances, like free radicals, that destroy the tissue.

rich in vitamin C, calcium, iron (especially red onions) and sulphur

Did you know?

Onions constitute one of the most powerful remedies that can be commonly found in the average household. The healing effect of red onions is greater than that of white onions. While the white onion is rich in vitamin E, the red onion contains both Vitamins A and E. The onion is a powerful healer not only when eaten raw, but also fried, dried or boiled.

The fresh juice of an onion can be rubbed on burns, bites and stings. Influenza patients, given the juice of pounded onions in a warm infusion 3 times a day at the onset of the disease, can often recover within 2-3 days. Fresh onion juice mixed with honey makes a good cough syrup.

Natural therapeutic effects:

antioxidant, antidiabetic, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, anticancerous, anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, stomachic, tonic

Beneficial in the treatment of:

catarrh

anaemia

coughs and colds

influenza

liver cirrhosis

dropsy

kidney diseases

tuberculosis

germs in the mouth (chew raw onions for 3 minutes)

ascites (abdominal dropsy)

bronchitis

insomnia

jaundice

splenic enlargement

dyspepsia

toothache

bruises

earache

nervous debility

brain fatigue

anxiety

heroine (morphine) and tobacco addiction

Onions also strenghten the lungs and cleanse the colon.

Respiratory Disease

Onion is said to possess expectorant properties. It liquifies phelgm and prevents its further formation. It has been used as a food remedy for centuries in cold, cough, bronchitis and influenza. Equal amounts of onion juice and honey should be mixed and three to four teaspoon of this mixture should be taken daily in these conditions. It is one of the safest preventive medicine against common cold during winter.

Tooth Disorders

If a consumes one raw onion every day by thorough mastication, he will be protected from a host of tooth disorders. Chewing raw onion for three minutes is sufficient to kill all the germs in the mouth. Toothache is often allayed by placing a small piece of onion on the bad tooth or gum.

Anaemia

Onions are noted for their easily assimilable iron content. They are, therefore, beneficial in the treatment of anaemia.

Heart Disease

Onion has been found helpful and beneficial in diseases of the heart. These benefits are due to the presence of essential oil, aliypropyl disulphide, catechol, protocatechnic acid, thiopropiono aldehyde, thiocyanate, calcium, iron, phosphorus and vitamins in onion.

To get rid of coronary heart or blood pressure disorders, one should take 100 gms. of onion per day. The onion are very valuable in heart diseases as they correct thrombosis and also reduce blood cholesterol.

Skin Disorders

Onion is irritating to the skin and stimulates the circulation of blood in the mucous membrane. Warts also sometimes disappear if rubbed with cut onions. Roasted or otherwise, onions are applied as a poultice to boils, bruises, wounds, etc., to bring the boils to maturity by its heaty sensation.

Ear Disorders

Onion juice dipped on cotton wool and put into the ear is a popular Russian remedy for ringing sound in the ears. Dropped hot in the ear, it relieves earache.

Cholera

Onion is an effective remedy for cholera. About 30 gms. of onion and seven black peppers should be finely pounded in a pestle and given to the patient of cholera. It allays thirst and restlessness and te patient feels better. It also lessens vomiting and diarrhoea immediately. An addition to little sugar to the recipe will increase its effectiveness.

Urinary System Disorders

Onions are highly beneficial in the treatment of urinary system disorders. For burning sensation in urine, six grams of onion should be boiled in 500 ml. of water. It should be removed from the fire when half the water has evaporated. It should then be strained, allowed to cool and given to the patient as a drink. It will relieve the burning sensation in urine. Onion rubbed in water and mixed with 60 gms. of sugar will be useful in retention of urine. It will bring abot free urination within a short time.

Bleeding Piles

Onions are valuable in bleeding piles. About 30 gms. of onions should be finely rubbed in water and 60 gms. of sugar added to it. It should be taken twice daily by the patient. It will bring relief within a few days.

Blood Sugar-Lowering Effects

The higher the intake of onion, the lower the level of glucose found during oral or intravenous glucose tolerance tests. Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that allyl propyl disulfide is responsible for this effect and lowers blood sugar levels by increasing the amount of free insulin available. Allyl propyl disulfide does this by competing with insulin, which is also a disulphide, to occupy the sites in the liver where insulin is inactivated. This results is an increase in the amount of insulin available to usher glucose into cells causing a lowering of blood sugar.

In addition, onions are a very good source of chromium, the mineral component in glucose tolerance factor, a molecule that helps cells respond appropriately to insulin. Clinical studies of diabetics have shown that chromium can decrease fasting blood glucose levels, improve glucose tolerance, lower insulin levels, and decrease total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while increasing good HDL-cholesterol levels. Marginal chromium deficiency is common in the United States, not surprising since chromium levels are depleted by the consumption refined sugars and white flour products as well as the lack of exercise. One cup of raw onion contains over 20% of the Daily Value for this important trace mineral. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=45

Onion and Garlic Protective against Many Cancers

Making onion and garlic a staple in your healthy way of eating may greatly lower your risk of several common cancers, suggests a large data set of case-control studies from Southern European populations (Galeone C, Pelucchi C et al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).

Study participants consuming the most onions showed an 84% reduced risk for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, 88% reduced risk for esophageal cancer, 56% reduced risk for colorectal cancer, 83% reduced risk for laryngeal cancer, 25% reduced risk for breast cancer, 73% reduced risk for ovarian cancer, 71% reduced risk for prostate cancer, and 38% reduced risk for renal cell cancer, compared to those eating the least onions. Similarly, those eating the most garlic had a 39% reduced risk for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, 57% reduced risk for esophageal cancer, 26% reduced risk for colorectal cancer, 44% reduced risk for laryngeal cancer, 10% reduced risk for breast cancer, 22% reduced risk for ovarian cancer, 19% reduced risk for prostate cancer, and 31% reduced risk for renal cell cancer, compared to those eating the least garlic. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=45

 

FRENCH ONION SOUP

4 lbs. (2 kilos) or 6 medium-large brown onions
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C. (118 ml) water 

4 cloves garlic, crushed
8 C. (1.9 liters) water1/2 C. (118 ml) tamari
3/4 t. salt
2 1/2 t. Spike seasoning
2 T. dry red wine

3 cloves garlic, cut in half
6 to 8 slices whole grain bread
6 to 8 vegan jack or mozzarella cheese slices or 2 C. (480 ml) shredded 

1. Slice onions thinly, then cut slices in half.
2. Combine onions, olive oil, and water in a large deep skillet. Sauté onions over high heat, stirring them frequently, for about 25 minutes. Turn heat down slightly, and continue cooking until well browned, about 20 minutes longer. Stir frequently and watch carefully to avoid burning onions.
3. Transfer onions to a 10 to 12-quart (10 to 12-liter) stockpot, and add garlic and water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn heat down to medium and simmer about 20 minutes.
4. Add tamari, salt, Spike, and wine. Simmer about 5 minutes to blend flavors.
5. To serve, rub each bread slice with a half-piece of garlic and toast until bread is firm. Ladle soup into ceramic or glass bowls (not plastic), and float bread on top of each bowl.
6. Lay or sprinkle cheese on top of bread, and place bowls under the broiler until cheese melts. Place each bowl on a serving plate and serve immediately. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch312.html

Storage
Onions should not be store in the refrigerator because of its high moisture atmosphere,

Have you noticed that some onions seem to keep for weeks, while others become soft and spoiled rather quickly? The secret is in the moisture content. A firm dry onion will keep considerable longer than the sweet ones that seem soft and moist at the outset.

Onions keep best in a cool, dry place, perhaps a pantry or a low cupboard away from excessive heat or light. Plenty of air circulation is beneficial to prevent spoilage. Avoid storing them under a sink where excessive dampness will hasten their demise. It’s common practice to store onions and potatoes together but not an ideal one. Potatoes have a great deal of moisture and give off a gas that causes onions to spoil more quickly. Stored carefully, onions can keep for several weeks.

Peeling Without Tears
Many a cook has devised a favorite method for avoiding those inevitable tears while peeling onions, everything from holding a match between the teeth, to peeling and chopping the onions under running water. While peeling them under running water actually does wash away the irritating allicin, it may not always be convenient.

A method that does work successfully is to plan ahead and put the onion in the refrigerator until it is quite cold. Seems it has a chilling effect on the volatile sulfur oils. Voila! No tears!  

http://www.secretsofnaturalhealth.com/onions.html

Health Top posts, pages read

The important issue of our personal health  I am always amazed that many  professionals even  not just the  seniors have not yet learned  about eating properly as well.  Most people do not know  still  how to eat healthy, which foods  are good and which ones are  bad for you, nor do they know  that cancer, diabetes, heart  attacks, diabetes is caused  mainly by what you eat..  So see all of my blog on  Healthy living and pass it on  to many others too.  http://stayinhealth.wordpress.com/    Popular posts read
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