Goal For The Green

It might be easier said than done. It’s everywhere and in almost every area of our everyday life. From baby bottles, trash-can liners, milk jugs, baggies, toys, toothbrushes and vinyl shower curtains. Almost everything that enters our home is packaged, wrapped or coated with some type of plastic.

As plastic weakens, ages or becomes exposed to heat, it can release harmful toxins such as BHA (bisphenol-a and phthalates). These harmful chemicals enter our bodies by way of the food we eat, water we drink, dust particles in the air we breathe and even by way of skin absorbtion.

Animal studies, especially during pregnancy have associated BPA to illnesses such as cancer and reproductive problems. Studies in humans show weakened sperm quality in males, and early puberty in girls. BPA is a known carcinogen and has been found to disrupt the endocrine system, as well as, disrupt hormone balance. 92% of children over the age of six, test positive for BPA in their system.

What you can do right now is avoid toys with #3 vinyl or #7 polycarbonate. Never heat anything in take-out food containers in the microwave. Only use glass or microwave safe containers covered with wax paper, or paper towel. Avoid #3-PVC, #6 Polystyrene and #7 polycarbonate. If you must use plastic, look for #’s 1,2,4 and 5.

I have converted most of my plastic containers to glass. It is easy to go from cooking, to storing, to freezing and re-heating with glass. Stainless steel and thermos are also good choices to use. It’s not an easy process going from plastic to glass, but well worth you health!

Here is a chart for download and printing to make your shopping safer and easier. Just keep it with you and you’ll always make an informed choice.

Written in association with plastic disposal experts

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Quick Start

The older I get, the more my health becomes a priority. Since the year 2000, five members of my family have passed away. Four of them were diabetic. We all know that diet and exercise go together. It seems as though you  can’t just do one or the other. It takes the combined effort to accomplish the goal to lose weight and avoid this disease. The battle can be won, even though statistics keep growing every day.

The Pancreas, which is located next to, and somewhat behind the stomach normally secretes the vital hormone called insulin.  The job of insulin, is to digest the sugars that are broken down in the digestive system and convert them into fuel for the body. In a normal person, the Pancreas produces insulin in islets of tissue inside the organ. That is it’s function. In the diabetic, this does not happen, therefore, they need to take the synthetic form of insulin. 

Here are some facts you should know:

      A normal blood sugar reading is between 80-120 mg. Anything above or below these numbers, you are in a danger zone! Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar happens if a person’s blood sugar dips below 70 mg. The symptoms are shaking, fast heartbeat, sweating, anxiousness, dizziness, hunger, impaired vision, weakness, fatigue, headaches and irritability. What causes this is too little food, too much insulin or diabetes medicine, and too much or extra exercise. The onset may be sudden and progress to insulin shock. Drink a cup of orange juice or milk, or eat several hard candies. Within 30 minutes after symptoms go away, eat a peanut butter or meat sandwich and drink a glass of milk. Hyperglycemia or high blood sugar happens if a diabetic person’s sugar is above 200 mg. or more. The onset is gradual, but may progress to diabetic coma. It happens if they have consumed too much food, or they don’t have enough insulin in their system, they are ill or are under too much stress. They become very thirsty and experience frequent urination, along with dry skin, hunger, blurred vision and nausea . If the blood sugar is over 240 mg. after testing several times , call the doctor.

      If you, or anyone you know has these symptoms, encourage them to visit a doctor. This disease effects all organs of the body, over a period of time. It is a $92 billion a year disease that effects millions, and often goes undetected. Take charge of your life and your health by getting screened for diabetes and cholesterol. It is important to know your numbers. It could prolong your life!

Here are a few tips you can put into practice right away that take little effort and your wallet will thank-you.

Did you know that Americans idle away approximately 2.9 billion gallons of gas a year?  With the prices going up almost daily, that is almost $80 billion a year in wasted gas. Obviously, the less you have to stop and go the better. It also helps to maintain a steady, rather than fluctuating speed. Also, be sure your tires have the correct amount of air in them.  Just little things, but they make a difference in the air we breathe and in your wallet.

Just by turning off your computer when not in use, you can save about $90 a year. You can also save more by unplugging small appliances when not in use.  Every little bit helps, because even though it doesn’t seem like it, everything that is left plugged in still uses energy.

By signing up for Green Power, you are supporting the future development of renewable resources. Green Power, is electricity from renewable non- polluting resources like wind and solar power, that can be used over and over. Green Power usage does less harm to the environment.  Turning down your thermostat a couple of degrees can save you between 1-3% on your power bill. It might not seem like much, but it can add up considering 50-70% of your electric bill is calculated based on your heating and cooling consumption.  Wash your clothes in cold water.  This also makes a difference in your power bill.

Paying your bills online saves you time, money gas, and stamps.  It also saves on the amount of paper used to send you that bill.  To get rid of junk mail you can sign up ($1.00 fee ) at Mail Preference Service on Direct Market Assistance website. Most junk mail will stop within about 90 days. To stop opt-in offers from cluttering your mailbox, you can call 1-888-5-OPTOUT.  Follow the instructions, and you can opt out for 5 years or for life.  Next, it takes a little work with our at home printers but it can save a lot of paper if you print on both sides of the copy paper.  Here in the U.S. we use approximately 4 million tons of copy paper per year, most of which is copied on one side only.  That averages out to about 27-30 lbs. per person per year.

You can keep a lot of dirt, pesticides, and germs from entering your home and causing allergies or illness, just by taking your shoes off outside your door.  Something else to consider is to drink hormone free milk. It’s a healthier alternative. Thank goodness it’s the time of the year to start enjoying the wholesome freshness of the farmers markets for fresh fruits and veggies.  Here’s to your health and your wallet.