Grab Bag Good Egg:

In case you missed the 75 posts I’ve done on the benefit of eggs…. WAKE UP!! I eat one every morning … usually with a slice of tomato, a gob of spinach and a pinch of parmesan, stacked on a small but thick piece of toasted whole grain bread. YUM! Pre-cook a few days of spinach at a time, and this goes together very quickly 🙂

These little ovoids are one of my favorite things in life. In case you are still heart-wary and suspicious of eggs, the report below was printed on RealAge, a site under the direction of Dr. Mehmet Oz, a very popular … wait for it…. CARDIOLOGIST.

Get thin, get smart. One little oval package helps make both happen, and you don’t even have to get a prescription for it (yes, it’s legal).

Eggs were reinstated as a health food a while back, when major studies cleared them of increasing heart attack and stroke risk. Now there’s evidence that people who scramble, boil, or poach one for breakfast — versus eating a bagel with the same number of calories — bypass junk-food cravings and eat fewer calories for at least 24 hours. Without even trying. While eggs are a good source of nutrients and protein, for reasons that aren’t completely clear, it turns out that they make your body feel fuller longer.

Watch this video to learn how to poach eggs perfectly.

Not only are you smart, waistwise, for eating them; they’re good brain food, too. Eggs are packed with selenium, a nutrient that can help keep your memory sharp and your thinking fast. In fact, people who get at least 55 micrograms (mcg) a day of selenium have cognitive test scores that put them in a league with people 10 years younger. An egg (14 mcg) on whole-grain toast (10 mcg) gets you almost halfway there. Round out your day with some albacore tuna (63 mcg for 3 ounces), turkey (27 mcg for 3 ounces), or Brazil nuts (a mother lode at 270 mcg per half ounce). Repeat the next morning. Find out why eating eggs in the morning can help you wake up faster.

Grab Bag Tea Tree for the Big C:

Now THIS sounds promising… I have been familiar with Tea Tree Oil as a popular disinfectant, but this takes bug-zapping to a whole new level. Keep your fingers crossed for this, reported by Dr. Andrew Weil from the February 21, 2010 edition of Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology.

Tea Tree Oil for Skin Cancer
Researchers in Australia, where skin cancer is a huge problem, have shown that tea tree oil can prevent dermal tumors from growing and cause them to shrink and disappear, at least in mice. These findings, from the University of Western Australia, emerged from a three-year study, and are relevant to non-melanoma skin cancers and precancerous growths. The only problem the researchers observed was mild skin irritation, a side effect that disappeared within a few days after treatment ended. The team reported that within 24 hours after applying the tea tree oil the tumors started to shrink, and that within three days the growths could no longer be detected. The investigators are now hoping to launch a human clinical trial with about 50 people who have precancerous growths to determine if the tea tree oil can help prevent skin cancer from developing.

Grab Bag Random Tips:

• Clean rope trimmed shoes with a toothbrush dipped in rug shampoo.

• If you store your sterling silver in self-sealing plastic bags, it will tarnish much more slowly.

• When your cookbook won’t lie flat when opened on the counter, place a glass baking dish or clear cutting board on the pages (you can read through the glass) or secure each side with a rubber band.

• When laundering clothes, add detergent to the washer first. Pouring detergent on clothing can cause fabrics to fade.

• Place a piece of white chalk in your silver chest or jewel box to absorb moisture and help prevent tarnishing of silver and jewelry.

• Freezers run more efficiently when they’re three-quarters or more full. When provisions drop, fill milk cartons or jugs with water and put them in the freezer to take up empty space. (I wasn’t sure about this one, but I found confirmation on the National Consumer Agency of Ireland site, as well as the Utah Municipal Power Agency site. And if your freezer looks anywhere near as organized as this one, well, then, good for you.)

Grab Bag Wild Life:

Books (2 that I know of) have been written on how to foil greedy squirrels from raiding your birdfeeder. There are even models of bird buffets named “Squirrel Buster Classic” and “Absolute Squirrel Proof Wild Bird Feeder“.

So what will they come up with now??

And putting aside the bird feeder issue for a moment….. what the hell is that ROPE made of??

Many thanks to sistah Tally D. for this one.

Grab Bag Brain Game:

Sometimes we just need to get back to basics. See how quick you can answer simple calculations… Do it again… you will improve every time.

CALCULATIONS

Grab Bag Funny Stuff:

If Facebook existed years ago……