Vegetables – Health Food Or KillersBy Susanne Myers
With the recent outbreak of e-coli traced back to bagged spinach of all things, the FDA now suggests consumers thoroughly wash all bagged produce (including salad) before consuming it to avoid the extreme diarrhea e-coli bacterial can cause.
The e-coli bacteria can be found in any raw or undercooked foods. Most often outbreaks are linked to undercooked meat, or unsafe handling of raw meat, particularly ground beef. What was up until now less well known is that e-coli can also be found on fresh produce like fruits and vegetables.
E-coli bacteria cause severe diarrhea often with bloody stool and can cause kidney failure and possible death. The old and the young are particularly prone to extreme cases of the infection. If you suspect you have been infected with e-coli, contact your physician right away.
E-coli naturally occurs in the intestines of animals like cows and chickens. As these animals are slaughtered and processed, traces of the bacteria can come into contact with the meat. Ground beef seems to be especially prone to getting contaminated. To kill any e-coli (or other bacteria for that matter) that may have “snuck in”, cook all meat to an internal temperature of at least 160 F.
So, how does this same bacteria get into our salad, veggies and fruit? Manure is often used as a natural fertilizer and gets’ stuck on the outside of the vegetables and fruits as they grow and are harvested. Produce is cleaned off before it’s bagged and shipped to you, but that doesn’t necessarily mean all the bacteria are gone.
In particular vegetables including salad that are bagged provide a perfect growing environment for the e-coli bacteria. The bag ensures that there is always some moisture around the produce that allows the e-coli to multiply.
The recent outbreak of e-coli in bagged spinach along with previous outbreaks in bagged salad mixes and even containers of strawberries makes you wonder if we should just avoid all prepackaged and bagged produce. Fortunately we don’t have to go that far, but we should get in the habit of properly preparing those foods.
Salad and vegetables mixes in bags are often pre-washed and sold as “ready to serve”. Take a few minutes and rinse them with warm water, followed by a splash of cold water to avoid cooking the spinach or salad. Use plenty of warm water on hardier vegetables such as tomatoes or carrots and don’t forget to wash fruit with plenty of water as well, especially strawberries. Strawberries grow very low to the ground and are often fertilized with manure or are grown on soil that was previously fertilized that way. Since the berries grow practically directly on top of the soil, it is easy for the e-coli to catch a ride on the fruit directly into your home.
Washing raw fruit and vegetables with plenty of warm water should get rid of most of the bacteria, making it safe to eat. Make it a habit to wash your produce whether the packaging indicates it’s pre-washed or not. It will only take a few minutes and could prevent you from getting sick in the long run.
About the Author: Susanne Myers is the co-publisher of the Healthy Menu Mailer, a weekly recipe and menu mailer that’s all about eating healthy. Join us for a free 7-day sneak peak at http://www.healthymenumailer.com
Source: www.isnare.com |
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6 Techniques To Beat Credit Card DebtBy Thomas Erikson
Did you know that credit card companies don't want you to pay off your credit card debt? Why would they? The more credit card debt you have, the more interest you pay to them. And interest is their lifeblood.
Credit card companies have helped to foster our acceptance of debt as part of our lifestyle. We keep spending more than we make by about 10% each month and keep adding to our debt. As those credit card balances keep growing month after month, so too do those minimum monthly payments. There will come a time when we will not be able to afford even those minimum payments. Many people have already reached and surpassed that point.
We have fallen into the credit card trap where we get sucked into the convenience of it all, easily put off payments, and overspend. Have you compared your monthly income to your monthly credit card limit? Pretty remarkable how much larger your card limit is. We use credit cards for just about everything and we have maxed out. The convenience has lulled us into the credit card trap.
So how do you break the cycle? It's all about changing your attitude towards credit card debt. Here are 6 techniques you can use to turn the table in your favor and allow you to break free of credit card debt.
1. Treat your credit card spending as a loan. Most people don’t see their credit card debt as a loan. It really is just that. You borrow money and it has to be repaid. It’s all about an attitude change.
2. Always watch your balance. Instead of looking at your credit card limit, look at your monthly earnings. Always make sure your credit card balance doesn’t grow beyond what you can afford for the month.
3. Keep all your purchase receipts. Costly errors can be fixed quickly if you have the receipts. Also, they help you visualize how much you are spending. Put the receipts some place where you'll see them everyday. As the pile grows, you can see your debt grow.
4. Pay off your whole balance on time each month. This is the best way to break free of credit card debt. You don’t pay interest and there are no late penalties. Over time, the savings can be huge.
If you're struggling to pay off your credit cards, there are many different options that can help – for example, you can consolidate credit card debt or get credit counseling. They can make it easier to get a grip on your monthly payments.
5. Treat your credit cards as emergency cards. Don't take them shopping. Use cash or debit cards. If you use cash or a debit card, you can drain your bank account until it's empty but at least you can't spend any more. Amazing how in our society, we aren't comfortable about having our bank account balance go to zero but we'll let our credit card debt grow which, in effect, is taking our bank account “below” zero.
6. Keep your lowest interest rate credit card and cut up the rest. If you don’t have them, they can’t help you add to your debt.
The credit card companies have you right where they want you – carrying high balances and paying lots of interest. However, by changing your attitude towards credit card debt and using these 6 techniques you can break free.
About the Author: Thomas Erikson is co-founder of www.your-debt-consolidation-loan.com which provides credit card debt information and solutions.
Source: www.isnare.com |
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008
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