Living Day By Day

This coming weekend, K and I have planned to take a warm after noon and turn it into a picnic outing. With the realization that the only thing that a picnic takes is some planning and warm weather, I have taken time to look into both. Mother Nature promises a warm Saturday and I have come up with some quick, picnic-perfect recipes (with the help of the internet and my grandma, of course).

First things first, K and I decided that this picnic would be an intimate affair, not a large gathering. With larger picnics, be sure that you have access to a park with space, tables and table cloths. Be sure to set up early if you are expecting many guests!

Make sure you keep a cooler or two to store the food in. How many you need will depend upon how many people you are inviting! If it’s an outing for two and not too far away, shoot for a basket.

In both small and large picnics, you’ll most likely enjoy a shaded spot. If there are many people, aim for a pavilion. K and I won’t mind walking home if the weather turns for the worst, but your 32 guests may! Be sure to plan for another place, should the first not work out due to weather or other circumstances.

That being said, make sure you have sunscreen! I’ll be sure to bathe in it before our outing — sun damage is very harmful to your skin! If there was a recent rain or you find yourself deep in insect-land, be sure to bring repellent. Don’t spray it near your food.

When packing, be sure to pack light food-ware, such as paper cups and plates, and plastic cutlery. That way there will be less clean up (but be sure to recycle!) and less chance of you breaking your mother’s plates. Keep some moist towelettes in a Ziploc bag to use before and after you eat. If you have room, try to bring a small portable CD player or your iPod and a mount to play some relaxing music.

Having gotten all of that out of the way, it is important to mention that the food you decide to pack should be carefully thought upon. Not all foods can be left to the elements and remain healthy or sanitary. Coolers are used to keep already-chilled foods chill. Meaning that you can’t use it to keep food at a safe temperature after it has been left to warm.

When packing your cooler, place the most readily perishable foods at the lowest level. Stuff Ziploc bags with ice to keep the inside of the cooler cold, or opt for freezer packs. If you plan on drinking water, you can freeze the water bottles and use them to keep the contents of the cooler cold. They’ll gradually melt and by the time you’re ready to drink, they’ll be cool and refreshing.

Bring a thick table cloth or blanket, something that won’t blow away should you stand up. Food doesn’t taste as good after it’s rolled around on the ground.

Feel free to share any food ideas that you’ve come up with and are planning to try on a picnic outing!

In a study performed on more than 300 nonsmoking 6th and 7th graders, it was found that children with a background full of smokers were more likely to identify with the positives of smoking. They also found that the children described themselves as having uncontrollable cravings toward cigarette smoke, if they were secondhand smokers. The researchers brought this evidence to the table in backing the idea that secondhand smokers also become addicted to smoke and the nicotine therein. And if not this, in the very least the children are watching their adult peers express their need or strong desire to smoke (man, I need a smoke) and assimilate that into their being.

With more than 60% of the child population in North America being exposed to smoke, this is, in fact, quite worrisome. Even if an adult is to take smoking outside, or in the garage, the child is still primed for addiction with the social exposure that this provides.

Children who inhale secondhand smoke have an increased occurrence of middle ear infections and can randomly develop asthma. And the younger the child, the more deadly. Children are devloping as humans, and thus their breathing rate is increased. In children younger than 6, frequent exposure to secondhand smoke are more likely to experience respiratory track infections such as bronchitis. The chance of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is increased in babies who inhale secondhand smoke.

That isn’t to say that adults shouldn’t be worried. As many as 3,000 nonsmoker deaths occur each year as a result of significant exposure to secondhand smoke which develops into lung cancer. Lung cancer aside, 450,000 deaths a year are attributed to tobacco related illnesses.The average smoker loses a reported 12 years of their life.

Pregnant? Ladies, keep away from secondhand smoke, and most certainly do not take up smoking. The toxins found in smoke are known to cause low birth weight in infants.

Want to protect yourself? When traveling, be sure to ask for non-smoking cabins. It may sound silly, but in many other parts of the world smoking is still permitted in-flight. If you’re staying at a hotel, specify that you would like a non-smoking room; although, due to the poor ventilation systems in many hotels, this may not do very much. Ask for a large fan to place in your room to help circulation stagnant air. It may be best to opt for an entirely non-smoking hotel. On a cruise-liner? Note a preference for NO-SMOKE and be sure to call if you smell smoke.

Whether at home or in a “non”-smoking hotel, hang your clothing in garment bags, so they don’t pick up the odor.

Be sure to get enough vitamin C — vitamin C has been shown to counteract the effects of smoke toxins. Same with green tea, a powerful antioxidant.

Drink a lot of water.

For people with life-threatening respiratory illnesses (or who wish to take secondhand smoke inhalation avoidance to the next level), you may want to consider a mask that will cover your mouth and nose.

Febreeze! Febreeze helps wonderfully with smoking odors, although research on the detoxifying effects has not yet been performed

If you are going to ask a smoker to put out a cigarette if they are smoking near you, ask politely. It is their right to smoke just as much as it is yours to not. They are certainly aware of the health risks and are entitled to smoke with out having to justify their actions, so try not to pester. Be polite and humble, as you would want to be treated.

Are you a smoker and want to be sure you’re the only one inhaling your smoke? Here are some tips:

While it may not trump the social impact on a child, you can smoke outside to reduce their exposure. If it’s cold, smoke somewhere that does not share ventilation with the house.

That being said, if you’re outside and you see that your smoke is blowing toward others, stop. You’re an adult and are able to move yourself away.

Don’t smoke in the car when you have passengers.

Be aware of your surroundings, in short. If someone asks you to quite smoking, treat them as you would want to be treated.

If you’re a parent, explain to your children the effects of tobacco truthfully. Let them know that if they begin smoking, it is extremely difficult to stop. Don’t hire a babysitter that smokes. Ask those that smoke around your children to stop, if possible. A study performed by Penn State reported that 80% of children surveyed thought that more than half the population of the United States smoked; whereas the actual number is around 25%. This shows what a great impact seeing only a couple people smoke can have on a child.

For the first time in my life, I am having my teeth bleached. I’ve always wanted pearly whites to be blindingly blanched, but have never had the courage to do so. I had heard tales of excruciating pain and laboring to avoid dark liquids and red meats — to protect the enamel and keep it white.

Don’t get me wrong, I had tried to bleach my chompers before. I found out the rough way that I have sensitive teeth, and leaving Crest White Strips a little extra longer to make sure I get those stubborn stains was a recipe for unbearable sensitivity. My dentist informed me that there were very many people who were simple not candidates for bleaching, and that I was almost one of them, as I have sensitive teeth.

Most dentists will not bleach the teeth of patients who have extremely sensitive teeth, or who have had restorations or internal staining that may not be bleached as effectively, resulting in patches. Pregnant and nursing mothers will have to suffer through yellow-hued teeth until the end of their pregnancy and subsequent nursing, as it has not been proven entirely safe.

In-office whitening –professional teeth whitening– has been proven the safest and effective option to date. The drawback? The price. In-office whitening procedures can cost you as much as $600 per a session and up, with the take-home tray option (where you take home the trays and bleaching agent from your dentist) can cost around $400. It is hard to compare that to the in-store options that cost roughly $40 per an application.

Store bought options can also be very harsh on your enamel; which is surprising as most people believe that in-office, more powerful bleaching methods would be more damaging. However, the peroxide mixture normally used in a dentist’s place of practice is normally thicker, and less penetrating.

Whichever option you choose, the results can be prolonged by avoiding red wines and fruits with dark juices and by brushing your teeth regularly; with or without a whitening toothpaste. The most effective addition to regiment is proper care.

Photo credit: doesmybumlookbiginthis.org

There is a fine line between body-inspiration and body affliction — in short, it can be hard for people to draw inspiration from a body type without criticizing their own. Today we are constantly bombarded with images of the “attractive” body type a woman should have, that a man should have. We are constantly bombarded with images of people that have been distorted past physical means of perfection, and even candid photos provide pictures of celebrities who spend hours with make-up artists, personal trainers, nutritionists — in short, all of the resources normal people do not have — and we hold ourselves to these standards.

Which is detrimental to our own body image.

Which is why I suggest to you today to reconstruct your own idea of beautiful. Realize that our current ideals are constructed by outside stimuli and that we have the power to re-frame and reconstruct our attitudes over time. We can create our own idea of beautiful. We need to use this mentality to take back the power that media and advertising have taken from us and feel comfortable in our own skin.

Drive your attention to real, fit and healthy body types of all shapes and sizes. Remember that it is more important to focus on health and fitness rather than aesthetics — that the ideal version of your body type will come with health and fitness-driven endeavors in no time!

So, to start, keep these things in mind:

• When someone compliments you.. express true gratitude and accept the compliment.
• When you put on or lose weight, accept it as it is — there’s no need to berate yourself or attach unnecessary anxiety.
• Focus on optimizing your health and over all confidence rather than attempt to attain a certain “look”.
• Wear clothes that highlight your form, rather than hide it. Wear clothes that flatter your body type and make you feel good about YOU. All body types are to be cherished.
• Realize that you are, in fact, unique. While you may have an athletic body type, a petite body type, a curvy body type.. your body is your own. It is yours and, like you, is unique. That being said, because of this.. don’t compare yourself to others.
• When you find something that you like about another person’s body, don’t compare it to your own. What they have and what you have may be different; don’t turn admiration you have for another person into something detrimental to yourself.
• Seek out healthy, realistic role models. Role models that lead a lifestyle that you find attainable; i.e. eating healthy with moderate exercise, and adequate sleep.

After taking positive thoughts in and letting the negative go, after pursuing a healthy lifestyle with the idea of a “beautiful” body being a healthy one, you will find yourself holding your chin a little higher and realizing that the ideal body type is, in fact, yours!

Photo credit: treehugger.com

With the new fad of eating fresh produce, with less processing but equally as much handling, E. Coli and other undesirables are making themselves present, in spite of increased consumer awareness over food care and sanitation.

Due to demand, there is a new influx of fruits from other countries. They travel further and are thus handled more frequently, and exposed to conditions that spur bacteria that can travel with them all the way to your fruit basket. Cattle, pigs and poultry are crammed into tiny spaces and are exposed to fecal matter and other bacteria harboring substances, because of the demand in meat, meat-based products and ready-to-eat foods.

Photo credit: turbosquid.com

According to the CDC 3,000 people a year die in the United States due to a food borne illness.  One in six Americans get sick each year (from food) and hundreds of thousands are hospitalized. While deadly strains of E. Coli have been nipped in the bud, bacteria like Salmonella still remains a risk.

That being said, there are certain precautions you can take to help keep yourself safe:

• Never leave food out at room temperature for more than two hours (particularly dairy and meat).
• Make sure you stay on top of the news! Watch for food borne illness outbreaks within the United States, or from other countries. Try to avoid buying produce from a country that recently had an outbreak.
• Keep in mind a lot of countries do not have the same regulatory laws as the United States. Try to buy from a country with similar, stringent laws.
• If you have produce that is damaged (with a deep bruise, cracked or torn-open rind, etc), throw it out.. they are more likely to harbor bacteria.
• If you have produce that has been in contact with raw meats, toss it!
• Put heated foods in the ‘fridge as soon as possible, once you are done with it.
• Cook foods to their proper temperatures to kill bacteria!

Photo credit: goodlifer.com

• Try buying local, and organic (yes, I’m tooting the organic horn, again). They are less likely to treat animals in ill manners (i.e. caged in their own feces) and use less pesticides and chemicals on their produce.
• When buying freshly CUT produce, be sure that it is stored in a cool place/refrigerated at the vendor.
• Consider growing your own produce! >>See my gardening article!<<

• Take friendly bacteria (probiotics). These are normally found in the intestines and are a supreme immune booster! They are available in supplemental form (Probiotics by Dr. Ohhira is a wonderful product for this) and work even better when taken with a soluble fiber. There are foods with natural probiotics such as natto, sauerkraut and pickled vegetables.

As a proud pet parent, I can’t imagine my life without my fuzzy ones.

After a long day at work, I park my car and trudge inside, and instantly my mood is lifted. My husky howls, my golden retriever woos and my cats mew. I find myself greeted, no.. smothered with love and affection. After a bit of settling down, I find myself content and relaxed, and before I know it, in a great mood.

For me and thousands–millions–of others, pets have a natural mood-enhancing effect that no amount of medication can replace. In fact, in a recent survey issued by Mindlab, 55% of people tested claimed that after spending some quality time with their pets, they felt less stressed. They lower our risk for heart attack, lower blood pressure as well as cholesterol and make us feel, well, special!

This could be do to the fact that we are more inclined to walk and exercise if we have a companion at our side. Being active and healthy facilitates a social, happy mindset and we are then more prone to forming healthy relationships with others — not to mention that a cute puppy is always a great conversation-starter.

With walking a dog comes feeding, brushing and watering; all great ideals of responsibility to establish for a young child. There then develops an understanding of care and dedication, as well as mutual trust.

Children that grow up with pets in the home find themselves more resilient to allergies and other common dust, dander and seasonal-related ailments. This is because they are given a lifestyle in which their immune system must cope and develop accordingly.

That being said, make sure your furry friend stays just as happy and healthy as YOU!