“Too Much Stuff” Syndrome Or How Decorating And Organizing Can Help Your Sanity

“Too Much Stuff” Syndrome or How Decorating and Organizing Can Help Your Sanity

by Lisa DeClue

This area of home life is different from others in that it involves all the senses and to that degree it is successful, engendering varying emotions. Decorating isn't really a hobby, nor is it merely an activity; it's a driving force of many people to live in comfortable and pleasing surroundings while they regenerate from a stressful world.

Yet, decorating by itself is not nearly as completely satisfying as having an organized home that is rich in beautiful detail. Decorating and organizing go hand-in-hand, like a one-two punch of home completion.

In an effort to motivate you to action, use these suggestions to help you on your way to an organized home this spring and summer.

Paper Clutter

1. If you’re like my dear Mother and you still have newspapers from 1978 because you haven’t read them all: Don’t walk, RUN to the sanitation department and rent an industrial sized dumpster to leave in your driveway for a week.

2. I’m giving you permission to touch your incoming mail and papers more than once – only if the second “touching” is on the way to the dumpster.

3. You know that pile of “things to file” that keeps growing? Guess what – dump that too. You can always print off another copy or send away for the info. over the Internet. (This, coming from the daughter of a paper monster…)

Clothing

Twice a year, my mom would make me try on clothes for the upcoming season. She would invariably choose cold mornings to try on summer things and the hottest day on record to slip into woolens and flannels… (If your kids give you flack for trying on clothes in the comfort of air conditioning, you may use this as your own example.) If you haven’t worn something in the time it took you to have your second child, it’s probably not worth hanging on to (unless, of course, the dumpster is full).

Use a great tip I just discovered: Pick three nights a week to try on 5 items in your closet, then go to your dressers and do the same thing. At this rate, the average American woman should be able to go through all her clothes in about 3 years, 9 months and 14 days. No need to worry, it’ll be a different season then!

Kids’ Toys

1. You could try to “limit” the number of toys they play with each month and cycle them to and from the garage so your little ones get variety.

2. That takes too much effort. I just threatened my boys if they left toys out on their floor at bedtime, they would be in the dumpster the next day (the toys, silly!). Do this twice, and you’ll have this hot spot under control.

I hope these points have given you some new ways to look at the problem of clutter and refreshing methods to deal with them. Given the fun you’ll have with that dumpster, you might want to consider renting a second one for the hubby’s stuff.

I’ll tell you what. If you really do rent a dumpster (okay, it can be the smaller version) I’ll have a reward for your diligence. Ladies – Email me that you filled your dumpster to the very tippy top and something funny that happened during the process. I’ll send you a coupon for a discount on a Fragrance Lamp that will fill your home with lovely aromas. Gentlemen – Email me the same (that is, that you actually rented the thing and filled it, and an amusing related story) and I will send you a Gift Certificate for your wife. Such a deal!

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Lisa DeClue is a WAHM and really does love her Mother. She owns Decorating with HGPgal, a website incorporating interior and garden/patio decorating resources, articles, tips and a monthly newsletter in addition to a unique business opportunity. Subscribe to the newsletter at http://HGPgal.com/newsletter.html and be entered into the monthly prize drawing.

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Vitamin C - The Most Common Health Food Supplement

Vitamin C - The Most Common Health Food Supplement

by Lorna Mclaren

Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid was first isolated from lemons in 1932. The
C in this very important vitamin is debatable and may stand for citrus,
cold, or collagen for the following reasons.

Fruits found with the highest concentration of Vitamin C are citrus fruits,
rose hips, cherries, papayas, cantaloupes, and strawberries. Common
vegetable sources are red and green peppers, broccoli, sprouts,
tomatoes, asparagus, parsley, dark leafy greens, and cabbage.

The most important function of Vitamin C is the formation and
maintenance of collagen, the basis of connective tissue, found in skin,
ligaments, cartilage, vertebral discs, joint linings, capillary walls, bones,
and teeth.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin. It blocks the oxidation of water-
soluble molecules, which lead to the creation of free radicals, the culprits
responsible for making our bodies prone to cellular injury and disease.

A most popular disease associated with Vitamin C deficiency is scurvy.
Lack of Vitamin C in the body impedes collagen formation, causing
reduced health of the tissues. Early symptoms are poor resistance to
infection and very slow wound healing. In addition, many medical
problems have been found to be associated with low blood levels of
Vitamin C. These are common infections, colds, depression, high blood
pressure, arthritis, vascular fragility, allergies, ulcers, and even
cholesterol gallstones.

The RDA for adults is 60 mg. Only 10 to 20-mg. of Vitamin C are
required to prevent scurvy, and there is more than that in one portion of
most fruits or vegetables. For most people the minimum dosage is
between 100–150 mg. daily.

Vitamin C is the most commonly consumed nutrient supplement and is
available as regular or chewable tablet or as time-release capsule, as
well as in powder, effervescent, and liquid forms.

Lorna Mclaren has an informational website http://www.123-nutrition.com where you can find out all about health food supplements and vitamins.

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Vegetarian Cuisine

Vegetarian Cuisine

by Ron Long

Rabbit food. That’s what my dad calls vegetarian cooking and cuisine. Salads and vegetables – can’t be anything more to it, can there? Oh, but there is. Vegetarian cooking is at least as varied as ‘regular’ cooking – and in some cases, far more imaginative.

Nearly thirty years ago, Diet for a Small Planet, and the follow-up cookbook, Recipes for a Small Planet hit the bookstore shelves with a resounding thud that still echoes. While many of the theories of protein complementarily that Frances Moore Lappe presented have been proven to be naïve by further research, the basic theories of eating and the wonderful meatless – and truly vegetarian - recipes endure. The Moosewood Cookbook and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest followed, and then an avalanche of cookbooks devoted to the vegetarian gourmet.

Vegetarian cooking is more than just ‘meatless’. There’s an art to mixing flavors and textures in just the right combinations to create masterpieces that are as appealing to carnivores as to those who’ve eschewed meat. For Hindi chefs who practice Ayurvedic cooking, food is more than nutrition – it is a meditation, a gateway to the higher consciousness. There are three major components and six tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent) to be considered in the preparation of every dish, and a meal prepared according to the Ayurveda is a feast for the eyes, the nose, the mouth and the mind.

The very best vegetarian meals are not ‘meatless’ versions of dish that usually has meat in it. ‘Meatless’ lasagna suggests that something is missing from the recipe. Anyone who has dined on spinach lasagna knows that there’s nothing missing – the blend of creamy cheese and spinach and spices is perfect in and of itself. Polenta with spicy black bean sauce has no need of meat to make it more complete – made right it melts on the tongue AND sticks to the ribs at the same time.

Even within the overall umbrella of ‘vegetarian cuisine’ there are variations. Outside Western culture, most meals have little or not meat at all – so it is not surprising to find vegetarian main dishes in Indian and Chinese cuisine, nor in Russian cooking and African regional cuisines. Many base main dish meals on legumes and nuts. Peanut and cashew soups, humus with spices and lemon, fermented black bean sauces ladled over bread and pasta and rice and couscous – Middle Eastern and African cooking offers all of those and more.

If one approaches vegetarian cuisine as a ‘substitute’ for cooking with meat, one is sure to be disappointed. It is a way of eating and cooking, of spices and combinations that can be as light and fluffy as a meringue or as dense and chewy as the best seven grain bread. If you’ve never tried a real vegetarian meal – as opposed to a ‘meatless’ or ‘meat substitute’ – the very best place to start is at your nearest Indian or Middle Eastern restaurant. You’ll be amazed at the flavors and textures – and you won’t even notice that there’s no meat.

Visit The Tasty Chef for more great tips, techniques, and insights pertaining to cooking and recipes. http://www.tastychef.net

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Can A Raw Food Diet Help You Lose Weight?

Can A Raw Food Diet Help You Lose Weight?

by Lee Dobbins



While raw foods are not new, the focus on eating plans that
focus on them are and this trend in healthy eating appears to be
gaining strength across the country. The focus of the diet is on
eating uncooked, highly nutritious foods - fruits and
vegetables. Of course, these foods are low in calories and
extremely good for you, but eating them raw or uncooked is
favored as it is believed that they lose nutritional value when
cooked.



Those who subscribe to the raw food diet eat fruits, vegetables,
nuts, seeds, and legumes. They drink unpasteurized milk, water,
juice, and tea. It is a revolutionary way to eat, but also a
natural way and many of those who follow this way of eating say
it keeps them thin and healthy.



However, while the raw food diet is rich in some nutrients, it
lacks others. Although fruits and vegetables do have some
protein and calcium, this diet may be lacking in these things.
Experts are torn on whether it is healthy as a long term way of
eating.



Another thing to consider when taking up a raw food diet is that
most of the fruits and vegetables that you see in your
supermarket are loaded with pesticides. Therefore, it might be
best to consume only organic raw food.



If you decide a raw food diet is for you, you might consider
supplements to compensate for the nutrients this diet is
lacking. Some supplements to consider include vitamin B12,
copper, zinc, and chromium. Also, proteins from plants do not
the same amino acids as animal protein so you'll have to consume
a variety of different type sof raw foods in order to remain
healthy.



Some medical experts see great benefits in the raw food diet. In
addition to enabling weight loss, the diet can ostensibly
increase one's metabolism, making calorie burning easier. Some
medical experts have also suggested that a raw food diet is a
good antidote to eating disorders. In addition, it can help make
your immune system stronger, and help the body rid itself of
harmful toxins. Some supporters even claim that eating raw foods
improves the look of their skin.



A raw food diet is not recommended for children, women who are
pregnant, people suffering from osteoporosis, and those who are
anemic. If you try a raw food diet, you should to plan your
meals in advance to insure that you are receiving the maximum
amount of nutrients. Also, it can be time consuming to prepare
all the foods you need so make sure that you set aside the time
to chop, blend and puree for each meal every day.

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