To your good health...

Did you see Parade's Healthystyle in today's N&O? Here are a couple of tidbits from that insert:

On reusing a water bottle: Some bottles may release chemicals into the water if left in sunlight or used repeatedly. A study from the University of Calgary found higher levels of bacteria in bottles that were refilled.

On drinking milk beyond the expiration date: Risk is low but increases with each passing day. The expert advised not using more than 3 days beyond expiration. If milk has been left out of the fridge to the point of feeling warm, discard.

On taking vitamins: A healthy, balanced diet is best overall, but adults with a poorly balanced diet would benefit from taking a multi-vitamin. The same may be true for those cutting calories to ensure meeting nutritional needs. Both men and women 50 or older need 1200 mg of calcium a day and extra vitamin D. Pregnant women should take a vitamin with sufficient folic acid to help prevent birth defects.

Olive oil or butter? A tablespoon of olive oil has approximately 120 calories while butter has 100, but go for the heart healthy olive oil over the artery clogging butter.

And high-fructose corn syrup has been getting a lot of bad press in the last several years, but apparently it's no worse for you than regular sugar.

Good news...eating at night isn't more "fattening" than eating any other time of day! Calories are calories no matter when you eat them.

And from the National Center for Education Statistics, research shows that 4-year-olds who took part in just three simple routines had a 40% lower prevalence of obesity, regardless of other risk factors. Those habits are eating dinner as a family five times a week, getting enough sleep and limiting television time. Some benefit is obtained from any one of these practices, but strongest results were seen when families followed all three routines.

Consider the truffle...

I admit I knew nothing about truffles except that, for some reason, they're expensive. But after reading an article in the North Carolina Farm Bureau magazine (March/April issue) I now know that truffles are underground mushrooms that grow between the roots of trees, best on hazelnut and filbert tree roots. According to this article, truffles have a "unique taste" and a "very distinct aroma" that make them so appealing, even to the point of "addictive".

Truffles grow well in North Carolina because of our moderate climate and adequate soil. Other Mid-Atlantic are also ideal because the trees need distinct seasons (including 90 days of dormancy), but since the harvest season is from December to February, the ground can't be frozen or covered in snow for extended periods.

Truffles grow best in well-drained soil that is not nutrient rich but has a high pH. Research has shown that soil quality is not as important as the pH.

And did I mention they're expensive??? The average price for a pound of truffles is (are you sitting down?) $800. The truffle grower featured in the article said demand for his truffles is between 500 and 1000 pounds per week. Amazing.

Feeling wired?

Really no surprise since Raleigh has just taken the top stop in Forbes Magazine's ranking of "Most Wired Cities"---this was a big leap from last year's No. 15 spot. Brooks Raiford, head of the N.C. Technology Association, was quoted in the Forbes article as saying that the region's highly educated and relatively higher-income population is "fertile ground" for high broadband demand and use.

Here's the list:

America's Most Wired Cities

1. RALEIGH
2. Atlanta
3. Seattle
4. San Francisco
5. Washington
6. Colorado Springs, Colorado
7. Denver
8. Baltimore
9. Orlando, Florida
10. Portland, Oregon

Houseplants definitely have personalities...

at least according to an article in the News & Observer recently. Jennifer Nelis, marketing director for the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association, came up with the following list:
- Orchids - unflappable elegance
- Bromeliads - always at the center of attention
- Ferns and palms - relaxed and easy to get along with
- Anthuriums - very loving with heart-shaped leaves and passionate red blooms
- Spathiphyllum (peace lily) - purity
- Pothos - laid back
- Dracena - easy-going but efficient, perfect for distracted workaholics
- Crotons - red-headed fireballs
- Lipstick plant (basket vine) - impulsive
- Cryptanthus (earth star) - stylishly modern
- Ivy - traditional, gracefully conservative

I'm familiar with all these plants except crypanthus but have to confess I'd never given a thought to their "personalities". Maybe I'll consider them in a whole new way when next I chance to meet up with one!

a good cause...

Twice in the last few days I've read articles about donating new or gently used shoes. Shoes-4-Souls is a local nonprofit organization striving to collect 1.5 billion pairs of unused shoes currently in American closets to the more than 400 million people in need of shoes. Look for drop box locations at www.MyOldShoes.org ; the national non-profit Soles4Souls (www.soles4souls.org)
also has local drop off spots.
I'm an avid recycler, but didn't know that even athletic shoes can be recycled! Janice Marchok's article in the N&O Wednesday stated that Nike has recyled more than 24 million pairs of sports shoes into athletic and playground surfaces. Read all about it at www.nikereuseashoe.com
Just something to keep in mind as you're deciding which shoes to wear...or maybe straightening the closet.

Make over your kitchen...sort of

Not sure how it happens, but my kitchen cabinets and pantry seem to be in total disarray at the end of each year. Maybe I'm more aware because of that whole "fresh start" for the New Year mindset. So in January I've gone through the kitchen and rearranged almost every item behind closed doors, especially helpful since we're eating in much, much more these days.
No wonder that I read with interest the "kitchen makeover" article in last week's Parade magazine. Here are some highlights from that article:
Organize!
Throw away items past the expiration date; consolidate multiples of partially used items.
Put dry goods in airtight containers to lengthen shelf life.
Label shelves to help stay organized and mark the date on foods as they go into the freezer.
Smart shopping.
You've heard it a million times---shop with a list in hand. Take it a step futher and divide items into the appropriate supermarket section to save shopping time.
Pay attention to sale items and specials and use coupons.
Stock up on essential items; see suggestion lists below.
Get ahead of the game.
Wash and prep produce when you get home from shopping.
Try to plan meals at the beginning of the week, just making that decision at the end of a hectic day can be daunting.

Katie Lee's Dinner Essentials

Pantry: Refrigerator: Freezer:
balsamic vinegar broth bacon (freeze in individual portions)
breadcrumbs Dijon mustard chicken breasts
canned beans eggs ginger root
canned tomatoes Parmesan cheese mixed frozen vegetables
onions, garlic raspbery jam
rice soy sauce
spaghetti

Check it out---

Spaghetti + eggs + Parmesan + bacon = Spaghetti Carbonara

Rice + onions + soy sauce + eggs + ginger root + chicken + veggies = Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken + breadcrumbs + tomatoes + Parmesan = Chicken Parmigiana

Veggies + broth + beans + onion + garlic + tomatoes + broken spaghetti = Hearty Vegetable Soup

Chicken + raspberry jam + broth + balsamic vinegar + garlic = Glazed Chicken Breasts

(Look for recipes at Parade.com/essentials)

You probably know this, BUT

are you doing these things?
From Saturday's N&O, common-sense savings offered by Marvin Woll of Raleigh:
- Wash only full loads using cold water in your washing machine.
- Don't overdry clothes; leave the dryer running longer than necessary.
- When washing dishes by hand, use only a thin stream of water, thus reducing the cost of
heating water.
- Set the water heater at 120 degrees or less; put an insulating blanket on the heater.
- Be sure all doors and windows are properly sealed and, in winter, tightly closed.
- Turn off lights when not in use.
- Reduce time spent in the shower to two or three minutes.
- Turn off televisions when no one is watching.
- Change furnace filters at least every two months.
-Use microwave rather than regular oven when possible.
And we should unplug phone chargers when not in use.

Can't believe we're half way through January!

I always love the New Year...I really think of it as a fresh start and I usually make at least a few resolutions. But I'm taking a different approach this year. My daughter sent me a quote sometime in December that I really identified with---"Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an imcomplete task." (William James) I printed the quote in a good-sized font and posted it in my office as well as inside the door of my medicine cabinet where I see it morning and night! So in lieu of specific resolutions, I'm trying to attend to things NOW rather than conveniently pushing them forward, sometimes again and again and again.

So with this mindset, I was very interested in Allen Norwood's Home Projects Calendar in the N&O Home & Garden section January 9. Mr. Norwood outlined a year's schedule of what should be routine home maintenance for the typical homeowner.

January is easy: 1) List projects you'd like to complete during the year, including small tasks (so they won't be forgotten) and large ones (so you can budget for them). 2) Post importnat emergency information such as the location of the main gas valve as well as contact numbers for HVAC service. 3) Further, he suggests that if you're considering kitchen or bath remodeling you might check out the National Kitchen and Bath Association at http://www.nkba.org/.

As you might expect, February's list is a little more labor intensive.