Showing posts with label healthy living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy living. Show all posts

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Refrigerator Energy Saving Tips

Refrigerator is the most commonly used appliance in our household and nowadays it is safe to say that every household have at least one refrigerator. It has been tallied as one of household’s highest electricity consumer. Maximizing the use of one’s refrigerator can lessen one’s electric consumption which can save you money and at the same time help the environment in its fight against pollution.

Here are a few refrigerator electricity saving tips:

1. It is wise to position the refrigerator away from direct sunlight or appliances that emulate heat (oven, stove and etc.).

2. Set the temperature of the fridge to 36° – 40° F and freezer to 0° - 5° F. It is unnecessary to set the temperature lower, since it will just use more electricity by as much as 20 – 25%.

3. Avoid having an empty refrigerator as the motor tend to keep running as there is nothing to hold the cold they generate. Put a couple of containers filled with water to remedy this situation.

4. Allow hot foods to cool first before storing it inside the refrigerator.

5. On a regular basis defrost manual frost freezers when the ice build-up to over ¼ inch. Since it works harder and thus consume more electricity.

6. Keep food covered when stored inside the refrigerator.

7. Fix if door seal damage (rubber or magnetic strip) since cold air will escapes and this make refrigerator work harder and thus consume more electricity.

8. Thawing frozen foods in the fridge helps cool the fridge as they defrost.

9. Keep freezer full but not overloaded. Just give at least 1 inch of space around for air to circulate.

By putting electricity saving tips in practice, we are doing our part as an individual in fight pollution that benefit everybody at the same time save money that will benefit us.

Friendly reminder by anns-electronicinterest.blogspot.com

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Another amazing article that I found useful that I would like to share.  Recently I am researching about the effect of Vitamin B12 Deficiency and have found this article from Testcountry that I would like to share. Kudos to the guys who manage to give informative health related article ... Thanks


Vitamin B12 is responsible for much in the body and never is that more apparent than when you become B12 deficient. It is vitally important in the process of DNA synthesis and even has a role in neurological function. In order for the body to process B12 properly, you need to have several organs functioning in perfect harmony including the pancreas, stomach, small intestine and intrinsic factor.
In fact, the most common result of such a deficiency is a form of anemia that is specifically caused by a lack of B12. The number of red blood cells in the body drop because of the deficient B12 levels.
B12 deficiency can be caused by several things including:
  • Alcoholism
  • A lack of meat, eggs and dairy in the diet
  • Crohn’s Disease
  • An inability to absorb nutrients properly
  • Tape worm
  • A lack of intrinsic factor
While a vitamin deficiency does not sound all that serious, it really can be. The signs and symptoms along can be cause for alarm. Some common signs of this problem include:
  • Diarrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Numbness of the extremities
  • Sore mouth
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Cessation of menstruation
  • Confusion
  • Memory loss
  • Hallucinations
  • Disorientation
  • Anemia
  • Nervousness
  • Behavioral changes
  • Enlarged mucus membranes
Yes, those are a lot of signs and symptoms. If you have a combination of the above, you should really see your doctor right away. Studies have shown that B12 deficiency can even cause nerve damage.
It can be a scary thought to one day learn that you are seriously lacking this vitamin to the point where it is adversely affecting your health. If it turns out that you are suffering from anemia caused by a lack of B12, you will most likely be treated with B12 injections and then later on weaned off of these shots to be replaced by a balance diet. If, however, you have something called pernicious anemia, you will more than likely need B12 injections for the rest of your life.
A lack of vitamin B12 can reek havoc on your body, not to mention your mind. However, with an acute awareness of your own body and proper treatment, you should be just fine.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

10 Easy Diet Tips That Will Work For You!

My good friend Alfred of Testcountry shared this article to me, I found it extremely useful and informative that I would like to share to the visitors of my blog.

Here is the 10 Easy Diet Tips That Will Work

Losing weight is often one of the best things a person can do for optimal health and wellness. Being overweight can damage to the heart, contribute to high blood pressure and be hard on the joints, to name just a few of the problems that may be caused by carrying around excess weight day after day. Dropping even a few pounds can pay off handsomely in increased health and energy.
While losing weight is extremely important for the overweight or obese, dieting can be intimidating and is difficult for many people. Successful, permanent weight loss requires diligence and a workable plan. When contemplating weight loss, choose a nutritionally sound diet plan. Regardless of which diet is being pursued, try these helpful tips to make the whole dieting experience easier.
Diet Tip #1 – Eat Less, Move More
Excess weight is simply excess calories stored on the body. To get rid of excess weight, eat fewer calories than are consumed and get some exercise. While this may seem elementary, too many dieters do not adhere to this basic principle. The added advantage of eating less and moving more is that exercise will increase fitness while simultaneously burning calories, which in turn will increase the metabolism and cause the body to use more calories even while at rest.
Diet Tip #2 – Try Diet Friendly Substitutes
Consider where calorie-saving food substitutions can be made. Read labels or do some research online to determine where significant savings can be achieved. For instance, replace whole milk with low fat milk, or better yet, fat-free milk. In recipes, substitute plain yogurt for sour cream. For a snack, choose raw vegetables over chips or crackers. To get the salt to stick on popcorn, use a light coating of cooking spray rather than melted butter.

Diet Tip #3 – Beware of Low Fat or Fat Free Foods
Carefully read the label on any item claiming to be low fat or fat free. High calorie substitutes, such as high fructose corn syrup, are often used to enhance flavor and texture in low fat or fat free foods. In addition, to increase palatability, many of these items rely on chemical substitutions that may be undesirable.
Diet Tip #4 – Become Familiar with Portion Sizes
Use a measuring cup and diet scale to determine exact portions. Correct portion size is often difficult to estimate, leading to over consumption of the food in question. After portion estimation proficiency is achieved, periodically recheck portion weights or measures to ensure continued accuracy.
Diet Tip #5 – Use Small Plates and Cups
Make portion control easier by using smaller plates and cups. Having food arranged so that the plate appears full eases feelings of deprivation. Use a measuring cup to determine the exact volume of various cups or glasses. Use a permanent marker to indicate specific measurements on frequently used items. Purchase a toddler or child-size divided plate to help control food portions at meals or when snacking.
Diet Tip #6 – Forego Second Helpings
Limit meals to one helping of each food. Eat slowly, putting the fork down between each bite. Drink plenty of water and extend mealtime as long as necessary to ensure that satiety is reached without indulging in a second helping. Include raw vegetables with each meal to provide a healthy, low calorie option if the temptation for seconds cannot be resisted.
Diet Tip #7 – Control the Environment
Make dieting as easy as possible. Stock the pantry and refrigerator with diet friendly foods. To avoid relapse in times of weakness, get rid of all high calorie foods or any item that may lead to uncontrolled consumption. Have appropriate snacks on hand at work or in the car. Make wise food choices easy by preparing meals at home and taking a lunch each day rather than eating out and relying on willpower.
Diet Tip #8 – Eat on Purpose
Don’t be afraid to get in touch with hunger. Discover what true hunger really feels like. Treat this as research and document all findings. Observe what happens to the body as hunger approaches and how long it takes the physical feeling of hunger to subside even when no food is consumed. Also, pay attention to any emotional reactions that may arise. Strive to develop a sense of actual hunger so that eating becomes a purposeful activity designed to sustain the body only rather than fill other needs.
Diet Tip #9 – Treat Yourself Well
Dieting can be hard work. Pamper yourself during this time by getting enough sleep and enjoying non-food-related treats. If a slip occurs, it is not the end of the world and should not be the end of the diet. A slip is nothing more than a momentary failure. Simply forgive yourself and move on without recrimination.
Diet Tip #10 – Drink Water Before Meals
Drinking a glass of water 15 minutes before you eat makes it easier to feel full sooner, and makes it harder to eat as much.


On a personal note "Dieting and exercise should go together hand in hand to promote a better and healthy lifestyle." A healthy lifestyle means more energy to deal with family matters

Top 20 Benefits of Exercise

Exercise is a great way to feel good about yourself, it can elevate self esteem and energy. To iterate here is the top 20 benefits of exercise :

1. Elevates your metabolism so that you burn more calories everyday.

2. Increases your aerobic capacity (fitness level). This gives you the ability to go through your day with less relative energy expenditure. This enables a "fit" person to have more energy at the end of the day and to get more accomplished during the day with less fatigue.

3. Maintains, tones, and strengthens your muscle. Exercise also increases your muscular endurance.

4. Decreases your blood pressure.

5. Increases the oxidation (breakdown and use) of fat.

6. Increases HDL (good) cholesterol.

7. Makes the heart a more efficient pump by increasing stroke volume.

8. Increases hemoglobin concentration in your blood. Hemoglobin is part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

9. Decreases the tendency of the blood to clot in the blood vessels. This is important because small clots traveling in the blood are often the cause of heart attacks and strokes.

10. Increases the strength of the bones.

11. Causes the development of new blood vessels in the heart and other muscles.

12. Enlarges the arteries that supply blood to the heart.

13. Decreases blood levels of triglycerides (fat).

14. Improves control of blood sugar.

15. Improves sleep patterns.

16. Increases the efficiency of the digestive system which may reduce the incidence of colon cancer.

17. Increases the thickness of cartilage in joints which has a protective effect on the joints.

18. Decreases a woman's risk of developing endometriosis by 50%.

19. Increases the amount of blood that flows to the skin making it look and feel healthier.

20. Exercise, in addition to all the physiological and anatomical benefits, just makes you feel GREAT!

Just a reminder don't forget to eat a balance diet, exercising without a proper diet to support this lifestyle, will do you more harm than good.

On a personal note "Dieting and exercise should go together hand in hand to promote a better and healthy lifestyle." A healthy lifestyle means more energy to deal with family matters


Thanks for the reading material Alfred of Testcountry