Understanding Heart Disease - Cholesterol (part 4 of 4)

Nine ways to get your cholesterol in check  (#'s 5 - 9) - 

(If you missed last weeks post - Understanding Heart Disease - Cholesterol (part 3 of 4),  you can find it here.)

1. Avoid trans fats often found in foods made with shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, including hard margarines, fast foods and many pre-made foods. Trans fats raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol.
2. Use Canada's Food Guide to plan a healthier diet. Eat more vegetables, fruit and whole grains.
3. Use lower-fat cooking methods such as baking, broiling or steaming. Avoid fried food.
4. Be smoke-free. Smoking increases LDL (bad) blood cholesterol.
5. Get physically active. Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity a week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more. Being active on a regular basis can improve good cholesterol levels.

Read more about controlling your cholesterol through food and activity.

For more information on cholesterol, please read the brochure Living with Cholesterol.

All information contained in this post was taken from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick website. Please visit their site for more information.

Monica
Disclaimer

The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.

   

Sunday Funny

~ CLOSED ~ "ThermaCELL Backyard" Review & Giveaway

Summer is finally in full swing and this year we've been enjoying the great outdoors even more than usual.  Thanks to our ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent Patio Lantern we’re able to enjoy being outside without being bothered by pesky mosquitoes.

We recently received a ThermaCELL patio lantern to review and have we ever been putting it to good use!! 

 We just returned from a camping trip and cannot say often enough how much we love this lantern.   It worked exactly as advertised and because the mosquitos and black flies were horrendous our trip would have been ruined without it.

We have also been using it in the evenings when we sit outside on our deck and on a picnic table during supper when we were on a couple of day trips.  It's been a pretty damp summer here on the east coast and there are lots of mosquitoes and black flies around...but, not near us!! Looking back,  I'm not quite sure how we managed in past years, however, we have no worries now!!

Product Features:

• Repels up to 98% of mosquitoes. Also repels black flies and no-see-ums.
• Provides a 4.5 x 4.5 metres Mosquito Free Zone, the size of an average deck or patio.
• Dual use product: repellent and light can be used together or separately.
• DEET Free!
• Silent, portable, and odor free.
• Easy to use: no open flame; no messy wax.
• Effective alternative to smelly lotions and sprays which must be applied to the skin.
• ThermaCELL technology has been tested and approved by the U.S. Army. Currently used in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.
• EPA approved.
• Perfect for backyards, decks, picnics, barbecues, camping, and outdoor parties.

The device requires four “AA” batteries (not included).  It has a high, low and off setting on the light portion. The handle gives you the option to hang it, walk with it or sit it on a flat surface.

The Thermacell Patio Lantern comes with one butane cartridge and three insect repellent mats. The butane lasts approximately 12 hours and the mats have a life span of about four hours each. The mats are color-changing (blue to white) to indicate that the repellent is gone and the mat should be replaced.

Once the cartridge is in place, the user clicks a button 3-5 times, which heats the butane cartridge. An orange light indicates it is working.

Buy It 

To purchase any of the amazing products from ThermaCELL, check their website for a retailer near you.

Win It

One very lucky Older Mommy, Still Yummy reader is going to win a ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent Patio Lantern.
To Enter
Fill in the form below with your qualifying entries.  Good-luck!! 
If you are new to Rafflecopter, click here for a 45 sec. tutorial on how to enter.)

Read more »

~ CLOSED ~ "The Herbal Kitchen" by Kami McBride - Review and Giveaway

    

      I love recipes, cooking, baking and entertaining. I love talking about these things, as well as comparing recipes and cooking techniques.  I’m always surrounded by cookbooks and read them like most people would read a novel!   So, when I had the opportunity to review "The Herbal Kitchen" by Kami McBride, I jumped at the chance. 

    This great book gives detailed information on 50 easy to find herbs, has more than 250 easy to follow recipes and includes a glossary of common herbal terms. 

     I recently made the “Paprika-Garlic Salt” and the “Rosemary Pesto”, the directions were easy to follow, they were simple to make and both turned out perfectly.

     Yesterday, I spent a long day doing battle with a pair of fancy high-heeled shoes and my feet lost!  When I came home I soaked my conquered feet in the “Sweet Dreams Foot Bath” and I never wanted to take them out, victory at last, it felt like a little piece of heaven!   

     Last week I had a bit of an upset stomach and instead of heading to the medicine cabinet, I remembered a remedy in this book and headed for the kitchen!  I brewed up some “Bay Leaf Tea”, which took a little longer to brew than your regular orange pekoe tea, but was well worth the wait.   Not only did it have a soothing and comforting aroma, it settled my upset stomach too.

     This book has a modern twist but harkens back to our great-grandparents and grandparents time, a time when people had a real connection to their gardens and to the land.  I will be keeping "The Herbal Kitchen"  on an easily accessed shelf in my kitchen; I can see myself reaching for this great resource over and over again.

BUY IT -  

You can purchase this book here or from most major book retailers.

WIN IT - 

Thanks to the generosity of Kami McBride and her publisher, one lucky reader will win their own copy of "The Herbal Kitchen".

MANDATORY ENTRY -

Leave me a blog comment, in the comment section below the Rafflecopter form. Tell me what herbs are growing in your garden or if you don't have a garden, what herbs you wish you could grow; then let me know you did so by using the Rafflecopter form below.
(If you are new to Rafflecopter,  click here for a 46sec. tutorial on how to enter.)

Read more »

Living Green, One Tip at a Time - (a weekly feature)

Tip #22 

Save water!!

Check out your bathroom and consider using low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets.

Do you currently use low flow fixtures?

Monica

Wordless Wednesday ~ Sisters ~

This photo was taken during our "sisters' camping trip by Kathy over at Oak Lawn Images

Monica

Understanding Heart Disease - Cholesterol (part 3 of 4)

Nine ways to get your cholesterol in check  (#'s 1 - 4) - 

If you missed last weeks post - Understanding Heart Disease - Cholesterol (part 2 of 4),  you can find it  here.

1. Test your cholesterol. Ask your doctor to check it if:
   • You are male and over 40.
   • You are female and over 50 or post-menopausal.
   • You have heart disease, stroke, diabetes or high blood pressure.
   • Your waist measures more than 102 centimetres (40 inches) for men or 88 centimetres (35 inches) for women. For persons of Chinese or South Asian descent, if your waist measures more than 90 centimetres (35 inches) for men or 80 centimetres (32 inches) for women.
   • You have a family history of heart disease or stroke.
2. Reduce your fat intake to 20 to 35% of your daily calories.
3. Choose healthy fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, found mainly in vegetable oils, nuts and fish.
4. Limit your intake of saturated fat, found mainly in red meat and high-fat dairy products.

Next week - Nine ways to get your cholesterol in check  (#'s 5 - 9)

All information contained in this post was taken from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick website. Please visit their site for more information.

Monica

Disclaimer

The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.

   

Living Green, One Tip at a Time - (a weekly feature)

Tip # 21

Safe Disposal of Unwanted Paint

When painting the interior or exterior of your home, always ensure proper disposal of any remaining paint.


The information contained in this post was obtained from Squidoo.

Monica 

Six Winners Announced in the Milkmate Review and Giveaway!!

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

Entry #20Claude Campeau

Entry #104Caryn S

Entry #79Roxanna Angles

Entry #42Pauline Milner

Entry #108Suzanne Ds

Entry #71shirley moweary

results powered by Random.org
The winners have been contacted and have 48 hours to respond.
Congratulations to the lucky winners and thank-you to everyone who took the time to enter!
Monica

Wordless Wednesday

Sisters, mimosas, camping....and for a few days, all is right with the world!

This photo was taken by my sister, Kathy, over at Oak Lawn Images.

Monica 

Understanding Heart Disease - Cholesterol (part 2 of 4)

Cholesterol, heart disease and stroke - 

If you missed last weeks post - Understanding Heart Disease - Cholesterol (part 1 of 4),  you can find it HERE

• High cholesterol can lead to a buildup of plaque in the artery walls which causes narrowing of your arteries. This narrowing is a condition called atherosclerosis, which reduces blood flow to all vital organs.
• High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
• By lowering your cholesterol, you can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. 

Next week - Nine ways to get your cholesterol in check  (#'s 1 - 4)

All information contained in this post was taken from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick website. Please visit their site for more information.

Monica

Disclaimer

The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.

  

Living Green, One Tip at a Time - (a weekly feature)

Tip # 20

Safe Disposal of Unwanted Medication

When prescription or over-the-counter drugs are thrown into the garbage, or flushed down the sink or toilet, their chemical components may be added to the water supply or soil. The presence of these substances in the environment is becoming an important national and international issue. Although the concentration levels of these products in the environment may be very low, they may be enough to have adverse effects on the environment and, indirectly, on human health. Of particular concern are the potential adverse effects of cumulative, long-term exposure to trace amounts and mixtures of pharmaceuticals on vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, newborns, and children.

You can help lessen the impact of these risks by disposing of drugs in a responsible way.

• Do not put expired or unused pharmaceuticals in the garbage or down the toilet or sink.
• Check to see if your pharmacy has a  drug take-back program that collects and disposes of the public's unused and expired drugs in an environmentally safe manner. Most pharmacies do, and programs exist in many provinces and territories across the country.
• If your area does not have such a program, contact your municipality to see if it collects drugs. Various municipalities have put in place different collection modes for household hazardous waste including drugs.

All information contained in this post was obtained from the Health Canada website.

Monica

Understanding Heart Disease - Cholesterol (part 1 of 4)

Illustration of plague build up in an artery

Cholesterol is one of the fats in your blood.  It is used by your body to make cell membranes, Vitamin D and  hormones.  There are two main types of cholesterol:

• Low-density Lipoprotein (LDH) cholesterol - often referred to as the "bad" cholesterol (I  remember it as the "L" in the word "low" = Lousy) because high levels of LDH in the blood promotes the build-up of plaque in the artery walls. (see above illustration)
• High-density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol - often referred to as the "good" cholesterol ( again, I remember this as the "H" in the word "high" = Healthy) because it helps carry the LDH cholesterol away from the artery walls.

Triglycerides are not a type of cholesterol, however, they are a type of fat that is found in your blood.  High triglycerides are often associated with excess weight, excess alcohol consumption and diabetes.  Your triglyceride level is often measured at the same time as your blood cholesterol.

Next week -  Cholesterol related to heart disease and stroke.

All information contained in this post was taken from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick website.  Please visit their site for more information.

Monica

Disclaimer

The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.

Living Green, One Tip at a Time - (a weekly feature)

Tip # 19

Save a tree... 

... instead of paper statements,  request e-statements for your bills.

Monica

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) - The Silent Killer

Myth 5: My blood pressure is high only because I drink so much coffee. Caffeine’s effect on the body, and particularly blood pressure, is still widely debated. Studies have shown that for people who don’t have caffeine on a regular basis, drinking coffee, tea, some soft drinks, chocolate and headache remedies may cause blood pressure to go up – but only temporarily. Researchers have noted a significant increase in blood pressure of 2.4 mm Hg systolic (the upper number) and 1.2 mm Hg diastolic (the lower number) for people drinking an average of five cups of coffee a day. As well, the body does seem to become tolerant to the effects of caffeine when it is consumed regularly, so the long-term effects on blood pressure are not well-understood. When having your blood pressure taken, you may want to avoid coffee for several hours before in order to get an accurate reading. Talk to your doctor before consuming any caffeine products, including coffee. Caffeine may also aggravate other heart conditions like arrhythmia. Read more myths and facts about high blood pressure in the Foundation’s brochure entitled Get Your Blood Pressure Under Control. The information contained in this post was obtained from  - Heart and Stroke Foundation (Canada) Monica Disclaimer The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

When I was doing some blog hopping, I came across this post at, Totally Temberton.  I am re-posting it on my site, with full permission of Cara, at Totally Tembberton.  I urge you to PLEASE,  take a few moments to read this extremely important and very timely article.

• Do you know what REALLY happens when a person is drowning?  
• Do you know how to determine if a person is drowning? 
• Do you ever wonder how a person can drown even when sober adults are nearby?  
• The answers may surprise you!

To find the answers to these questions and to learn lots of very important information, please read -

Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning

 by Mario Vittone

Monica