Did you know that we spend, on average, one third of our lives sleeping? That’s a lot of time spent on our mattresses, and all too often, we sleep on inherited, old, or otherwise improper beds. If you wake up every morning with neck or back pain, or simply aren’t sleeping as soundly as you’d like, maybe it’s time for a new mattress. Mattress shopping can seem like a daunting task – there are so many brands, styles, and sizes out there – but it doesn’t have to be.

When making a major purchase like a mattress, it’s always important to do you research. A convenient way to do this is by shopping around online. Retailers like ShopNBC have all types of mattresses, complete with customer reviews and product specifications to help guide you to an informed decision. For example, they carry a plethora of trusted Serta mattresses, a well-known brand with a lot of great reviews. This would be a good place to start when browsing around for a new mattress.

Next, it’s important to consider what type of mattress fits you and your sleeping style best. Perhaps you prefer a standard spring mattress, or maybe you’d like to try one of the new memory foam mattresses that are currently very popular. There are gel-infused foam mattresses, pillow-tops, and more to consider. If you prefer a firmer feel, perhaps a standard spring is right for you (and they also tend to be less expensive). However, if you love to be enveloped by a soft, light mattress, you may want to give memory foam a whirl. Whatever you decide, know that you’re treating yourself to a better night sleep, which has numerous benefits. So sleep more soundly – choose a great new mattress!

Have you ever been a member of a health club?  For many years in the past, we were members at the Y.  It was great because I could go for a walk on their indoor walking track in the worst of weather.  Our son took indoor swimming lessons and again, even if it was snowing outside, he could still have his lessons.   They had good exercise classes which I took advantage of several times.

A lot of areas have several health clubs.  For example, if someone lived in Richmond, Virginia, the richmond health club would be available.  So if someone gives the excuse that the weather is bad or their allergies bother them when they go for a run outside, suggest a health club where they could exercise in a nice, safe, climate-controlled environment.

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If you are hosting a Super Bowl party this year, take the offensive and follow these tips to keep your guests safe from foodborne illness:

Proper Food Handling

One of the biggest food safety mistakes people make at parties is letting perishable food items sit out for too long.

§        Any foods – hot or cold – that have been sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours can easily allow bacteria to multiply and cause illness.

§        Once served, hot foods need to be held at 140°F or warmer. Use chafing dishes, slow cookers or warming trays to keep foods warm.

§        Cold foods need to be held at 40°F or colder. Keep cold dishes in the refrigerator until just before serving and nest dishes in bowls of ice to help keep the food cold.

§        Arrange and serve food on several small platters rather than on one large platter, and replace empty platters rather than adding fresh food to a dirty platter.

§        Keep track of how long foods have been sitting out — if it’s perishable and has been sitting out for more than two hours, play it safe and throw it out.

Use a Thermometer

§        Because internal temperature, not meat color, indicates doneness, it’s important to use a food thermometer to verify foods are cooked thoroughly.

§        Perishable foods such as meat and poultry need to be cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria.

o       Steaks should be cooked to at least 145°F with a 3-minute rest time

o       Hamburgers need to be cooked to 160°F.

o       Whole or ground poultry should be cooked to a minimum of 165°F.

o       Hot dishes that are prepared in advance can be stored in the refrigerator until game time. When your guests arrive, simply reheat the food to an internal temperature of 165°F.

Keep the Kitchen Clean

A recent NSF germ study revealed that many kitchens harbor more bacteria than the bathroom.

§        The item most frequently used to clean dishes and countertops – a sponge or dish rag – was actually the germiest place found in most homes. Because these items can pick up bacteria during the cleaning process, they need to be properly sanitized between uses and replaced frequently.

§        To avoid cross contamination, clean and sanitize all food preparation surfaces before and after handing foods.

§        Kitchen sinks, which were found to have the second highest concentration of germs in the NSF study, are often overlooked when cleaning the kitchen and need to be cleaned with a disinfecting cleaner 1 – 2 times per week.

§        Keep raw meat and poultry separate from cooked or ready-to-eat foods.

§        Always wash any platters, cutting boards or utensils that have touched uncooked meat or poultry with hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly before using with any other food.

Clean Hands

Dirty hands are one of the biggest culprits for spreading bacteria, and finger foods at parties are especially vulnerable.

§        Don’t prepare or handle food without first washing your own hands and encourage your party guests to do the same.

§        If you have younger party guests, introduce them to the Scrub Club (scrubclub.org), where the Soaper Heroes can help them learn how to properly wash their hands.

§        Proper handwashing includes washing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, then rinsing thoroughly and drying with a clean towel (or under an air dryer).

Don’t let unsafe food spoil your game day. Practice safe food handling and make food safety part of your Super Bowl fun.

Note:  I did not receive monetary compensation for this post.  I posted this to help my readers and myself to remember these safety tips.

This is a recipe from Prevention Magazine and is an easy-to-make taffy candy that is supposed to be great for sore throats.  The recipe was provided by Linda Bartoshuk, professor at Yale University School of Medicine.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter flavor
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, cornstarch, butter, and salt.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it reaches 256 degrees F on a candy thermometer (or until a small amount of mixture dropped into some cold water forms a hard ball).  Remove from heat and stir in butter flavoring and cayenne pepper.  Pour onto a baking sheet.  When it’s cool enough to handle, pull the taffy until it has a satin feel, is light in color, and is stiff.  It it’s too sticky, butter both hands lightly and pull the taffy into long strips, 1/2 inch wide.  Cut with kitchen scissors into 1-inch pieces.  Wrap each piece separately with plastic wrap.  Makes about 30 pieces.

Image from FreeImages.co.uk

Women and hormones!  What a time we women have dealing with all the ups and downs of our hormones. Hormone replacement therapy is used sometimes to provide relief from the symptoms of PMS, perimenopause, and menopause.  I must admit that I am very skeptical of synthetic hormones and also most types of estrogen.  My doctor, however, prescribes natural bioidentical progesterone and estriol (the good estrogen that may even help guard against breast and uterine cancers), and it’s compounded especially for me.  The bad part is that my insurance won’t cover it, but the good part is that I feel safe taking it and can definitely tell a huge difference when I’m not using my hormone cream.

Do you know how healthy seaweed is? Very healthy! I take seaweed tablets, actually “kelp” which is large seaweed, just about every day. Kelp grows in nutrient-rich waters and is loaded with these rich nutrients, like the B-vitamins, natural iodine, and minerals for example.  It’s evident that Kelp is great for most people needing to supplement minerals in their diet.

 
There are also seaweed products available such as creams, shampoos, conditioners, and bath products. Some people use these products to help skin problems such as flaking or scaling.  Whether taking kelp tablets or using these products, there seem to be several benefits from using seaweed.

If you’re like our family, we’re so ready to eat healthy after eating too many rich, sweet, and decadent foods!  We’re back to low-fat, lots of veggies, salads, and fresh fruit.  Lean meats and healthy foods such as home-made soups with lots of veggies make up the majority of our menu plans.  But we don’t completely eliminate desserts!  Instead, we try to have healthier options in moderation.  That’s one great thing about it being “National Oatmeal Month.”  Oatmeal makes so many foods healthier, even cookies!

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When we were at my mother-in-law’s over the holidays, we made the oatmeal cookies you see pictured below.  True, they had oatmeal and raisins in them which are both healthy, but they had too much butter for my taste.  Besides, I’m wanting to lose the five pounds I gained during December, and recipes with a lot of butter are not going to make that happen.  So check back during the month for healthier options to the traditional oatmeal cookie recipe.

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