Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Pancake Recipe - Buckwheat With Fruit and Vegetable Puree

I am allergic to wheat, but I can tolerate buckwheat well. This pancake recipe is made from a buckwheat pancake mix, any will do. I use the recipe as listed below, but I change 3/4 cup of pancake mix to 1/2 cup of pancake mix and add 1/4 cup of my own fruit and vegetable puree. I also use a free range egg, 1/4 cup of milk instead of 1/2 cup (I use unsweetened coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk instead of cows milk). I use one tablespoon of organic unrefined coconut oil or one tablespoon of olive oil, and I use a 101 cooker (the kind sold on T.V. ads) to cook my pancakes in. I spray the cooker with olive oil and I divide the batter for the smallest amount of pancakes into the two sides.

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For 6 - 8 pancakes on box - (two of mine)

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In a bowl I add:

- 1/2 cup of pancake mix
- 1/4 cup of milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1/4 cup of fruit and vegetable puree

Mix all the ingredients together and cook in 101 cooker or on pancake griddle until done.

These pancakes are very healthy and very tasty! The texture is very moist and smooth. If I run out of the fruit and vegetable puree, I use part of a mashed banana or some kind of fruit mashed and add 1/4 cup of that mixture, but the fruit and vegetable puree is by far the best!

Hope you enjoy my favorite pancake recipe. Please feel free to add your comments. Until the next time -

Eat up and enjoy,

Nancy Fleck

Pancake Recipe - Buckwheat With Fruit and Vegetable Puree

FLECK

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Water Softeners - The Best Choice For Hard Water

A water softener may not be necessary, but it sure will make a difference if you are one of the many Americans who live in an area with severely hard water. Hard water makes it harder to wash your laundry and to bathe, leaves spots on your glasses, and may be responsible for clogging your appliance, boiler, or plumbing pipes with a scale that accumulates over time. You can buy easy-to-use test kits if you are curious about the hardness of your water.

water softener reviews

Water Softeners are Simple

WATER SOFTENER

A water softener works on a fairly simple principle of chemistry that involves positive and negative charges on molecules (ions). Anyone familiar with a magnet knows the two negative or the two positive ends will push the magnets apart. But if you turn one magnet around, the one negative pole will pull the positive pole tightly to it.

Water softeners work on that same positive / negative attraction principle. Salt-based water softener systems use carbon resin beads coated with sodium or potassium ions (from sodium or potassium salts) to attract and replace the calcium, magnesium, and iron in your water. The metals causing your hard water are then carried out of your home's water system into your water softener's conditioning tank.

After enough time, the salts are no longer present and it is time to regenerate or replace them. The amount of water you use each day will be the greatest determining factor in how often your water softener system requires maintenance.

Renewal of Your Salt Supply

Since the salt used to remove calcium and other metals from your water will be used up after a period of time, there are several options for that renewal process.

Meter-based systems replenish the salt supply as necessary, but during its initial installation you will usually have to tell the machine your water hardness and how many users in your house on an average day will be taking showers. There are some tricks to making the water conditioner renew its salt supply in the middle of the night, not just when the meter tells it to do so. Meter systems are the most cost-effective users of salt with very little waste.
Timer-based systems replace your salt at a specified time of day, or night, usually once per week. A fixed amount of salt is replaced each time this process takes place regardless of how much water was used during that period. It's still going to use more salt despite the fact you were on vacation that week. You can see how this type of replenishment system is going to use a lot of salt over time.
Manual systems obviously have no timer or meter to renew your salt supply. But if you do not have a nearby drain for your water softener, then you will be using a garden hose and a remote drain for this process. Sure it sounds like more work than the other two, so buy a big water softener and you won't have to perform this process as often. Salt-based water softeners work so well that it is probably your best choice if you live in an area of extreme water hardness. However, if you are worried because you are on a strict low sodium diet, simply use potassium salt which does cost more and talk to your doctor about your situation. And these systems certainly are not eco-friendly.

Water Softeners - The Best Choice For Hard Water

WATER SOFTENER

Water Softener Reviews - What is Hard Water and How Can a Water Softener Help?

If you have hard water in your area, it is imperative that you go for some water softener. Hard water has excessive minerals and metals, and is bad for health. If you are using hard water for drinking and even washing then you are exposing yourself and your family to these extra metals and minerals. This is a situation where you should seriously consider getting a water softener for your home.

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Scientists measure the quality of water from different angles. One of the measurements counts the parts of metals and minerals per million parts of water. This is expressed in a term known as PPM. If the PPM value of a sample of water is higher than a certain threshold, then it qualifies for being labeled as hard water. This is what is dangerous for health.

WATER SOFTENER

Hard water is not only dangerous for health. It is also terribly bad for your appliances, water pipes and clothes. The hard water that we usually get in our conventional societies comprise of a high degree of calcium, iron and magnesium. These metals react with the material building our water pipes and appliances and eat into them. In fact, they also react with our skins and can leave you with an itchy skin. This can potentially turn into a skin allergy in the longer run.

A water softener would remove these elements from the water. The water would become soft and would be free from the potential health and other hazards that it would otherwise cause. These systems are somewhat expensive - would cost you a few hundred to around a thousand dollars depending upon the quality of softener you use, but the one-time installation cost is easily offset by the long-term benefits that come in the forms of health improvement and cost and effort saved in daily lives. Make sure that if you decide to get one for yourself then you get a branded one with a reasonable warranty and good reputation.

Water Softener Reviews - What is Hard Water and How Can a Water Softener Help?

WATER SOFTENER

Brain Bleed - Been There, Done That

On March 30, 2004, in the very early hours of a cold morning in Reno, Nevada, I left my budget hotel room across the street from the Truckee River and threw my luggage in the back of the little rental car. I proceeded to find my way through the predawn darkness to the airport. I'd been in Reno about a week, having flown there to "save the show." The lead bass was either incompetent or didn't know the role - Doctor Dulcamara in Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore - and I was the replacement. The performances had gone well and the artistic staff and my colleagues seemed to be quite pleased with my work, but I digress. Somewhere in getting in and out of the rental car, either at the hotel or airport, I must have banged my head pretty hard against the car door frame.

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I arrived home several hours later and complained of feeling very chilled and went to bed, and that's about all I remember for the next 4 and one half weeks. My wife went to work the next morning and I called her, I was told, with a feeling of impending catastrophe, with a splitting headache and told her that I needed her to get me to the emergency room of the Danbury Hospital. Somehow, I drove myself to her place of work, parked perfectly, and we went in her car to the ER. Upon arrival there, they put me on a gurney and I became, almost immediately, unresponsive. That was about 10:00 a.m., and by 1:00 p.m. I was in surgery to open my skull and attempt to stop the bleeding. The best neurosurgeon in the whole area happened to be in the hospital at the time! My wife was told to prepare for the worst and that only time would tell if I would make it or not. As it turned out, a second surgery was necessary two days later and then I seemed to rally and begin to improve. One thing I should mention.: I consume a lot of Warfarin (Coumadin) on a daily basis for another medical condition and that is why I bleed easily and also why the bleeding doesn't want to stop by itself! But, the message I am trying to broadcast is that if anyone bumps their head severely, they should be wary of any unusual symptoms that occur during the next 24 hours and, please, don't wait to seek medical attention if such symptoms persist!

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The recovery period was long and slow and I recall little of it. Physical and speech therapy were necessary along with mental exercises to regain my memory and reasoning skills.

I've known several people who have suffered brain bleeds. I lost a dear friend - a world-famous tenor - who slipped and fell on ice in Boston and never recovered because of a severe hemorrhage inside his skull. I mourn him still. My message: Please don't ignore a blow to the head. Be aware and vigilant for unusual signs that something may be wrong. I lift my glass and give you a toast: Here's to a long and (neurologically speaking) uneventful life!

For a related article of interest, search for A Fourth Indicator of a Stroke - The Tongue.

Brain Bleed - Been There, Done That

FLECK

Monday, September 5, 2011

From the Conference Room to the Classroom, Green Cleaning Is Enhancing Productivity

The revolution is alive and well! Terms like green cleaning, organic, and biodegradable are no longer reserved for treehugger types - they're now an accepted part of our vernacular. We now live in a world where meat labels make sure you're aware that no hormones or antibiotics were used to feed your future dinner and green cleaning products stress the fact that they don't contain harmful chemicals and contaminants that can be detrimental to your health. As a society, we're more aware than ever that every product we use and consume has a significant impact on our health and subsequently our productivity.

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So it comes as no surprise that commercial cleaning companies are embracing the green revolution. But it's not because they're bandwagoners. No, they're simply satisfying clients who are demanding healthier employees, hospitals that are demanding more sterile environments, and parents/teachers who are demanding a healthier classroom for students and teachers.

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The evidence clearly supports the value in not just using a commercial cleaning company, but in using a commercial cleaning company that embraces green cleaning. Prospective patients are now using infection rates as the main reason to choose a hospital - edging proximity and even hospital reputation. Offices across the world have germs covering a wide array of surfaces that are causing employees to take an average of seven sick days per year. These progressive techniques are helping reduce those stubborn germs that kids always seem to attract, resulting in students missing less school days each year as well. This prevents both students and teachers from getting behind and helps both stay more productive. So add increased productivity to the list of reasons to use commercial cleaning companies that embrace contemporary cleaning practices. Your people deserve it.

From the Conference Room to the Classroom, Green Cleaning Is Enhancing Productivity

FLECK

Magnetic Water Treatment System Review - Why This Magnetic Water Softener Works

Numerous ways for treating hard water exist. Use of magnetic water softener is a common practice in most homes. This is one of the most effective saltless water softeners available. You can find different types, but you should concentrate on the products that work. These are available, yet you cannot discover them easily. The Magnetic Water Treatment System, an enhancement of the magneticwater-1 conditioner, is a wonderful item to buy. The product is a no-salt water softener that many people are lucky to have found. You should as well end your search because this product really delivers good results. You will discover that there is no other stronger system than the improved Magnetic Water Treatment System

water softener systems

The following are product features.

WATER SOFTENER

• The product has two by one by one inches Neodymium magnets. These magnets are very powerful and effective.

• The Neodymium magnets in this product are superior to ceramic magnets in terms of their strength, and efficiency

• To prevent rust, the product has Epoxy, copper, nickel and nickel 4 strong coating

• The Magnetic Water Treatment System is the latest version of Magneticwater-1.

• Installation procedure is not a hassle because the product is user-friendly

• The product has double power of Magneticwater-1 Product description and reasons for Buying

This magnetic water treatment system is the newest version of magneticwater-1. Therefore, the product has extra features that upgrade it. The Neodymium magnets facilitate its functioning process. These rare magnets work better than ceramic magnets ever would. This softener fits two point five inch pipes. A major reason why many water softener systems do not last long is corrosion. This magnetic water softener features a strong coating, involving an epoxy, nickel, copper and nickel-4. This stronger coating is better than just nickel coating.

The major advantage that this product offers is the fact that it is saltless. As a result, it works amazingly, and in a way that salt-based products would never work. In fact, buying this magnet water treatment guarantees no further use of money to buy salt, to hire a plumber, or to pay electricity bills. You can expect no repair costs, inconvenience or back flushing. The other thing that the system does not demand is water. In any case, the softener ensures smooth flow of water via pipes, as it gets rid of blockages and scales in them.

If you own an old style home, this is the best softener to use, as it does not corrode pipes, water heaters and fixtures. Those with heart ailments, such as hypertension, should use this softener. In fact, this magnetic water softener contains healthy minerals in it. The other reason for buying it is that it does no harm to the surroundings. In addition, the softener does not pollute any fresh water source that you could have. This makes it the only best choice you need right now in your house. Search for it on various web stores that deal with water softeners. To be specific, you could buy from a site like Amazon since it is trustworthy.

Magnetic Water Treatment System Review - Why This Magnetic Water Softener Works

WATER SOFTENER

Yellow Root and Goldenseal - Going Yellow

Yellow root and goldenseal pills and powders are everywhere. Sadly, when you investigate the ingredients, there is a lot of filler in the pills. For this miracle herb to be effective, it needs to be pure.

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Yellow root and Goldenseal are the exact same plant. Residents of the Northern U.S.A. usually call it Goldenseal, while the southern population has called it Yellow Root for well over two centuries.

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The herb generally grows on river, creek, and feeder stream banks. While it can be found west of the Mississippi, it's more common from Southern Maine to Northern Florida. In it's natural form there is no Niacin or Vitamin D added.

In today's society, going green is all the rage. Yellow root or Goldenseal with inert ingredients is not natural. When it comes to this amazing herb, instead of deciding to go green, I encourage you to go yellow. In it's natural form, this is the only color it comes in.

Now there will be the occasional fleck of brown in it's powdered form. This is from the root covering being ground with the root. That is the only other color you should see. This will not be in quantities that can be easily detected. The yellow is so prominent that Native Americans used this root to make the brightest dies and paints.

The Cherokee and Creek Nations also used yellow root for it's medicinal properties. This is the short list of ailments that they used goldenseal on.

> bladder problems

> colds

> flu

> sore throat

> laryngitis

> mouth sores

> upset stomach

The full list contains over 150 conditions that this, brightly colored herb, supposedly heals. Modern day herb specialist claim that not only does it ease all the symptoms of past generations, but it eases the cravings when trying to quit smoking, heals 300liver damage in recovering alcoholics, as well as calms the severe cramps associated with PMS.

The roots are dried and ten can be made into Yellow Root tea, ground into powder, or made into salves. For sore throat and mouth sores, a lot of people, chew the dried Goldenseal and report results within twelve to twenty-four hours. Try that with a pill that is from thirty to sixty percent fillers. It just doesn't work.

The tea would have to contain some type of preservative as it has a very short shelf life. The "old school" train of thought was to make it as you needed it. The tea can be made in less than 20 minutes. Fresh and natural, just the way it was intended to be consumed. Now I can tell you from personal experience that the taste is not something most people will crave. Sweeteners or lemon juice will help the taste considerably but I don't see the tea becoming the next best selling beverage.

Call it Yellow Root or Goldenseal, this powerful herb doesn't care. It just goes to work doing the same job it has done for centuries. Just make sure that you are not paying for fillers and inert ingredients. It works the best in it's natural form.

Yellow Root and Goldenseal - Going Yellow

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