May 24th Grab Bag: 

 

1846 – William Morse first tried his new invention, the telegraph. 1883 – The Brooklyn Bridge opened after 14 years of construction fraught with problems. 1935 – Babe Ruth hit his final home run… number 714.

 

Grab Bag Green Cycle Tip:

 

Cool site called iReuse.com lets you post items you want to donate or sell and businesses and non-profits are then alerted if you have something on their wish list. Good for computers, appliances, supplies, etc., but they take other stuff, too.

 

Grab Bag Berry Good Nutrition:

 

 

Hallelujah… the benefits of these babies just keep rolling in. Here’s the latest…. Researchers at Hallym University in Korea used a topical application of  ellagic acid, an antioxidant found in berries, veggies and nuts – but especially these three stars you see above. (Black raspberries- something we out west don’t know much about- were highlighted as particularly powerful.) This berry special cocktail not only moderated the inflammatory response in skin cells, but prevented collagen destruction. And not just in mice (who cares if their faces sag??), but in human cells as well. Yowza. Gotta love that. Collagen fibers give your skin its bounce, its lift. Keep ’em happy. 

BUT WAIT! It gets BETTER. Researcher Christine Sardo from Ohio State University recently reported on studies showing  ellagic acid and other berry compounds were responsible for a dramatic reduction in incidents of cancerous tumors in mice. And this medicine never tasted so good… 

For the past few years I have been mixing up the following snack 4-5 times a week at 4:00 in the afternoon… and it is incredibly tasty.  NOTE: Your lunch needs to be small enough so that you are hungry at 4:00…. and not just in order to eat this snack, but you should be hungry at 4:00PM EVERY day… if you’re not, you’re eating too much at lunch. And please try to select organic berries… berries are one of those fruits that holds on to pesticides more than many other fruits:

1 Cup of mixed berries

2 Oz. low/non-fat plain yogurt

A healthy splash of Pomegranate Juice

A lot of cinnamon

2 Tbsp. ground flax seed

Mix and enjoy…

 

Grab Bag Nutrition, Take 2:

Are you getting steamed over your veggies? Might not be a bad thing. Here’s what Real Age has to say about raw vs. steamed:

 

Which Is Better: Steamed or Raw?

 

Nothing could be healthier for your heart than a plateful of raw veggies, right? 

Actually, a little steam treatment could be even better. New research suggests that steaming might improve the cholesterol-lowering capabilities of certain produce. 

Lost in Digestion

When researchers tested the digestive effects of

both raw and steamed veggies — beets, okra, carrots, eggplant, green beans, asparagus, and cauliflower — something interesting happened. It’s not clear why, but the steamed veggies did a better job of binding to bile acids. And that’s a good thing. It means more bile acids get excreted, which in turn means the liver needs more bad LDL cholesterol to make bile — which means there’s less LDL circulating in your body.

 

Grab Bag Nature Moment:

In case you missed it… some impressive Killer Whale team work…

 

Grab Bag Matters:

From the Every Monday Matters Book and Website:

PLANT A TREE

Like this:

 

or like this:

 

FACTS

• 1 acre of trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people every day.
• Planting trees remains one of the most cost-effective means of drawing excess CO2 from the atmosphere—1 acre of trees can absorb the same amount of CO2 produced by a car driven 26,000 miles.
• 3 trees planted strategically around a house can reduce energy use by up to 50%.
• Trees add beauty, increase property values, and reduce stress.
• 1 tree planted by every family would reduce 1 billion pounds of CO2 annually from our atmosphere.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Find a list of trees that grow best in your area; then determine the type of tree you would like to plant.
• To plant the tree:
  • Identify the proper location.
  • Dig a hole at least twice as big as the root ball of the tree.
  • Place several inches of good soil mix at the bottom of the hole before inserting the tree.
  • Place the tree in the hole. If your tree comes in a plastic pot, burlap, or a wire basket, remove it from the container without disturbing the root system.
  • Fill the hole with good soil and pack firmly.
  • Anchor your tree using a tree stake or a length of wood. Use wire and a length of old hose to secure tree to the stake—the hose will keep the wire from cutting through the trunk. The anchor can be removed after two years.
  • Water thoroughly and fertilize as directed.
• Have a tree planted in the National forest as a gift or in memory to honor friends and loved ones.

YOU MATTER

Trees improve our air quality, save energy, reduce pollutants, provide homes for wildlife, and add brilliant colors to landscapes. Planting 100 million trees can reduce the amount of carbon by an estimated 18 million tons per year and, at the same time, save consumers $4 billion each year on utility bills. 100 million trees—that’s the goal. So get out your shovel!

 

Grab Bag Grab Boobs:

(males need read no further – you will be gravely disappointed)

Taking a sharp left-turn from the norm, must give a shout out to a favorite strapless bra. All you girls with any boobs to speak of out there are probably always on the lookout for a good gravity-defying garment. Found a really good one. This really stays put, and is very comfortable:

LILYETTE #939 CONVERTIBLE BRA

(shown here with straps on)

Available online many places (cheapest at Kohls.com) and at Macy’s

  

 

 

Grab Bag Hilarious Stuff:

 

Vodpod videos no longer available.