Goal For The Green

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.

Most of us are doing our Spring cleaning from our house to our garage. Before you make a trip to the dump, check  your discard pile to see if there is anything you can give new life.  You just may save yourself some gas money and a trip to the dump.

If you have a tall wastebasket, use it to corral wrapping paper or crafting supplies.  You can even use hair scrunchies or elastic pony tail holders to keep the paper rolls in control.

Old furniture can often be put to use in a different room. An example, is a small nightstand or end table.  Either can be used in a bathroom to free up counter space and give extra storage for lotions and toiletries. Just paint it to your liking and you have a whole new look.  Coffee cups are useful to hold anything from make-up to pens and pencils.  Those hanging baskets that were meant for fruits and vegetables work great in little kids rooms for storing those small stuffed animals.  It looks adorable.  Give one to a teenager and they will find some cool use for it, just to have things close by the bed if nothing else.

Those old sheets and table clothes can be stitched up and used for storing, comforters, pillows, and blankets free from dust.  Sheets can also be made into easy tab-top curtains,or throw pillows.  All that is needed is a little time, ribbon and embellishments of your choice and you’ve put something old to new use, and saved money too.

Backless bar stools and laundry baskets work well to store anything from toys,camping gear, sporting  goods, or garden tools. Just turn the bar stools upside down and they do a great job of holding these bulky items.

Don’t toss those three-ring binders.  They are great for organizing recipes, (get page protectors), vet records, CDs (get the vinyl inserts) and anything of importance that you want to keep handy.  If they have writing on them, or they don’t match your decor, consider covering them with contact paper.

These are just a few ideas to help you wittle down your trash pile.  If you have books you want to get rid of, consider donating them to homeless or women’s shelters, nursing homes or hospitals.  Contact local thrift shops in your area for drop-off sites or possible pick-up of your unwanted items. Online sites to consider are charitynavigator.org and earth911.org for information on where to recycle specific items such as electronics.

Written in association with  waste management experts