I'm Just a Junker at Heart

I have a confession to make, I'm just a junker/recycler at heart. My dad was one so I was born with it in my blood. As the saying goes, like father like daughter.

  Plus, my Heavenly Father is a recycler, he made us all out of dust. Genesis 2:7, And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground...

I wanted to share a few of my future projects for my yard.
From bottle trees to little blue bugs buzzing around,  blue cobalt glass is a must for a creative garden.

 

This bug is so adorable!!!  I can hear him buzzing outside now!

The birds would love this birdbath!

What a great way to display my old bicycle! Flea Market Gardening has a great page on Pedals and Petals: Old bikes in the garden

 

These "books" are actually old bricks

 

  Using a bundt pan as a planter on outdoor tables is very clever and practical. I can see it being used in endless ways-to hold party favors, snacks, fresh flowers, etc.

 I absolutely LOVE this mushroom stool! I am suddenly having a vision of mushrooms popping up all over my yard! 

This dog is too cute for words! It's a bit pricy to buy one already made, but one could make one up very easily with things laying around the house...an old roller skate, a couple of canisters, pair of binoculars and a kitchen cabinet knob for a nose!

Last but not least, meet my future gardening assistant, Tin Can Sally! You can meet some of Sally's many Tin Can suitors over here.

Falling out of love with your love handles!

I finally have fallen out of love with my love handles. No longer will I allow that affair interfere with my life , health, happiness and well being!

To lose those love handles, you need to maintain your heart beat in the range of 70-75% (220 minus your age)

This is called the lipolysis zone.  So if you maintain your heart rate in that range and exercise for at least 30 minutes, 3-5 times a week, those love handles will start to melt off.

For example, say you're 58:

70-75% of (220-58=162)  would come out to be 113-122.

So when you exercise try to maintain your heart rate between 113-122 bpm

To determine the percent of a number do the following steps:

• Multiply the number by the percent (e.g. 87  x  68 = 5916)
• Divide the answer by 100 (Move decimal point two places to the left) (e.g. 5916/100 = 59.16)
• Round to the desired precision (e.g. 59.16 rounded to the nearest whole number = 59)

And to be on the safe side, it's recommended that you don't loose more 1.5 lbs. per week for health reasons.  It'll interfere with your hormonal/metabolic system.  Don't over exercise (exercise strenuously for more than 1 hour in the beginning and try to get a week's exercising done in one afternoon!), it'll put stress on your body and you probably will end up hurting yourself.  Plus, you'll be so sore for the next several days, too.

As we get older, we especially need to exercise so we can keep our joints moving freely. As the old saying goes: USE IT OR LOSE IT!

A Memorial to Princess

  I have not posted for some time due to my minpin, Princess, being sick with heart disease. She passed away from it on May 11th around 11:00 am, here at home. Dogs who are diagnosed with heart failure normally live anywhere from 3 to 12 months. Princess lived 9 months after being diagnosed with heart disease which the vet said was remarkable. It has been tough for me since she was my favorite of my 3 dogs. I know that I shouldn't have favorites, but, she loved every human that she met. Plus, she enjoyed it when I dressed her up. She would get excited when I held up an outfit that I wanted to put on her, with her just standing there, allowing me to dress her up. Then she would take on a different attitude like "I know I look good. After all I'm a Princess!"
  Princess was a rescue dog from IMPS (Internet Miniature Pinscher Service), the best minpin rescue around! I adopted her 10 years ago. She was around 4 at the time. She has has a good, long life here.
  Here are some of my favorite pictures of her:

Some Interesting Health News Articles

Here are a few health articles that I came across that were interesting to me, so I'm hoping you find them interesting, too. 

Food for thought: berries boost brain power

Blueberry extracts boost brain function

Antioxidants and the human body

Yale study links common chemicals to osteoarthritis 

Extra-caffeinated soda and chemical sweeteners for breakfast? PepsiCo introduces 'Kickstart' soda for people who absolutely hate themselves

Amish children are remarkably immune to allergies, says expert

How much more evidence do you need? DHS trains to shoot pregnant women, old men, children with guns (see photos)

 

Fructose triggers brain changes that lead to overeating

3 Reasons to Eat Turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a culinary spice that spans cultures - it is a major ingredient in Indian curries, and makes American mustard yellow. But evidence is accumulating that this brightly colored relative of ginger is a promising disease-preventive agent as well, probably due largely to its anti-inflammatory action.
One of the most comprehensive summaries of turmeric studies to date was published by the respected ethnobotanist James A. Duke, Phd., in the October, 2007 issue of Alternative & Complementary Therapies, and summarized in the July, 2008, issue of the American Botanical Council publication HerbClip.
Reviewing some 700 studies, Duke concluded that turmeric appears to outperform many pharmaceuticals in its effects against several chronic, debilitating diseases, and does so with virtually no adverse side effects. Here are some of the diseases that turmeric has been found to help prevent or alleviate

Coconut Oil and Alzheimer’s Disease

How worried should drug companies be about supplements eating into their monopoly profits? A lot—as this story will show. Please share it with anyone you know who is suffering from Alzheimer’s or is worried about it.
Of course, just about everyone worries about Alzheimer’s. It currently afflicts 5.2 million people in the US and is the seventh leading cause of death. The cost of treating it is estimated at $148 billion.
Mary Newport, MD, has been medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit at Spring Hill Regional Hospital in Florida since it opened in 2003. About the same time the unit opened, her husband Steve, then 53, began showing signs of progressive dementia, later diagnosed as Alzheimer’s Disease. “Many days, often for several days in a row, he was in a fog; couldn’t find a spoon or remember how to get water out of the refrigerator,” she said.
They started him on Alzheimer’s drugs—Aricept, Namenda, Exelon—but his disease worsened steadily. (It should be noted that the latest research shows that the various Alzheimer’s drugs, like Aricept, have proven disappointing, with little real benefit and often distressing side effects.) When Dr. Newport couldn’t get her husband into a drug trial for a new Alzheimer’s medication, she started researching the mechanism behind Alzheimer’s.
She discovered that with Alzheimer’s disease, certain brain cells may have difficulty utilizing glucose (made from the carbohydrates we eat), the brain’s principal source of energy. Without fuel, these precious neurons may begin to die. There is an alternative energy source for brain cells—fats known as ketones. If deprived of carbohydrates, the body produces ketones naturally.
But this is the hard way to do it—who wants to cut carbohydrates out of the diet completely? Another way to produce ketones is by consuming oils that have medium-chain triglycerides. When MCT oil is digested, the liver converts it into ketones. In the first few weeks of life, ketones provide about 25 percent of the energy newborn babies need to survive.
Dr. Newport learned that the ingredient in the drug trial which was showing so much promise was simply MCT oil derived from coconut oil or palm kernel oil, and that a dose of 20 grams (about 20 ml or 4 teaspoons) was used to produce these results. When MCT oil is metabolized, the ketones which the body creates may, according to the latest research, not only protect against the incidence of Alzheimer’s, but may actually reverse it. Moreover, this is also a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease), drug-resistant epilepsy, brittle type I diabetes, and type II (insulin-resistant) diabetes.
So Mr. Newport, not being able to get into the drug trial, started taking the coconut oil twice a day. At this point, he could barely remember how to draw a clock. Two weeks after adding coconut oil to his diet, his drawing improved. After 37 days, Steve’s drawing gained even more clarity. The oil seemed to “lift the fog,” and in the first sixty days, Dr. Newport saw remarkable changes in him: every morning he was alert and happy, talkative, making jokes. His gait was “still a little weird,” but his tremor was no longer very noticeable. He was able to concentrate on things that he wanted to do around the house and in the yard and stay on task, whereas before coconut oil he was easily distractible and rarely accomplished anything unless he was directly supervised.
Over the next year, the dementia continued to reverse itself: he is able to run again, his reading comprehension has improved dramatically, and his short-term memory is improving—he often brings up events that happened days to weeks earlier and relays telephone conversations with accurate detail. A recent MRI shows that the brain atrophy has been completely halted.
Let’s take a moment to consider what actually happened here. Synthetic (patentable) Alzheimer’s drugs have failed. A drug company reluctantly decides to put a non-patentable natural substance (medium-chain triglycerides derived from coconut or palm) through an FDA trial. It works. But, darn it, a smart doctor figures out that a natural food can be substituted for the super-expensive drug. Not only that, the ketones from natural coconut oil last in the body longer than the drug version—eight hours instead of three hours. This is enough to make a drug company start worrying about its future. What if this natural health idea really catches on? Goodbye to monopoly profits!
Coconut oil can be found in many health food stores and even some grocery stores. One large chain sells a non-hydrogenated (no trans-fat) brand of coconut oil in a one-liter size (nearly 32 ounces) for about $7. It can be purchased in quantities as small as a pint and up to five gallons online. It is important to use coconut oil that is non-hydrogenated and contains no trans-fat. We would also strongly encourage the use of virgin oil (chemicals used to extract non-virgin oil are potentially dangerous, and better still, virgin organic, still quite reasonably priced.)
For more information, see Dr. Newport’s website. Sadly, you will not find any information on ketones, or the use of coconut oil or MCT oil, on the Alzheimer’s Association website.
Coconut oil is not the only natural product that has the potential to turn Alzheimer’s around. We will cover some other ones, and drug industry efforts to steal some of them, in a future issue.
See our follow up article: More on Natural Substances to Combat Alzheimer’s

Giving Shoes a Second Chance

Give your old shoes a new chance and turn into a wonderful and unique decoration for your garden.
All people, when shoes are broken or we do not like, we tend to throw them, because of course we can not make nothing with them.
But you never thought it could can be easily converted to the original beds for... read more

Health Benefits of Cinnamon and Honey

Facts about Honey and Cinnamon -

Drug companies won't like this getting around.

Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also note honey as very effective medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without side effects which is also a plus. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, when it is taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm even diabetic patients. Researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, put it on toast instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol and could potentially save one from heart attack. Also, even if you have already had an attack studies show you could be kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of cinnamon honey strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and the veins.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients can benefit by taking one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken daily even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week (out of the 200 people so treated) practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain -- and within a month, most all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis now started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder....who knew?

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol-could be cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and, clear the sinuses, and it's delicious too!

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also is said to clear stomach ulcers from its root.

GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that when Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food is eaten relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals

INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Use four teaspoons of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of boiling water to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans increase and even a 100 year old will start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

RASPY OR SORE THROAT: When throat has a tickle or is raspy, take one tablespoon of honey and sip until gone. Repeat every three hours until throat is without symptoms.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it off the next morning with warm water. When done daily for two weeks, it removes all pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS:Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin Infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:Daily in the morning one half hour beforebreakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder three times a day for one month.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, even when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, when taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M., the vitality of the body increases within a week.

BAD BREATH: People of South America, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water first thing in the morning so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing.


The Healing Powers of Honey: http://amzn.to/WljHP0

Learn how to keep your own honey bees: 20 books and manuals about Beekeeping - http://bit.ly/NKQZ57

How to Effectively Use Honey as Medicine: What Doctors Don't Tell You: http://amzn.to/WlkgZg

 This info is from: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Organic-Gardening/380651248633270

Yummy!

Check this tomato salad out! Yummy and beautiful!

Just stack tomatoes, some mozzarella cheese and asparagus and drizzle with some balsamic vinaigrette

Some Gardening Ideas

This is really cool! I gotta try it this year!

Grow Your Own Pumpkin:
Open up the pumpkin, add a little soil and water, and watch the seeds (which are already inside the pumpkin) grow.

Good-to-Know Ideas

Here are a few good-to-know ideas that I just came across and love.

Crisco Candle for emergency situations. Simply put a piece of string in a tub of shortening, and it will burn for up to 45 days. (We do not recommend Crisco for consumption) www.homesteadingsurvivalism.com

I'm putting one of these kits together (minus the gun!)

Things to Keep in Your Car - Emergency Survival Pack

How to Cook on a Log

Survivalism is another passion of mine, even if I don't presently practice it. I like to have the knowledge and information on hand for just in case.

Cooking on a log 

That's all there is to it—the log burns from the inside out, and you have a simple, handmade stove....TA DA ~~ Tonya O'Tinger prostaff. (Women Camp Too)

Cut the log evenly on both sides so it stands up freely. Then cut it into vertical segments most of the way down the length of the log. Stuff in some newspaper into the cracks as deep as you can get it, leaving a wick at the bottom, and light it up.

www.homesteadingsurvivalism.com

Health Benefits of Aloe Vera

Health Benefits of Aloe Vera -
by Mike Adams, NaturalNews.com

When I say aloe vera is the most impressive medicinal herb invented by nature, I don't make that statement lightly. Of all the herbs I've ever studied -- and I've written thousands of articles on nutrition and disease prevention -- aloe vera is the most impressive herb of them all. (Garlic would be a close second.) There is nothing on this planet that offers the amazing variety of healing benefits granted by aloe vera. In a single plant, aloe vera offers potent, natural medicine that:

• Halts the growth of cancer tumors.
• Lowers high cholesterol.
• Repairs "sludge blood" and reverses "sticky blood".
• Boosts the oxygenation of your blood.
• Eases inflammation and soothes arthritis pain.
• Protects the body from oxidative stress.
• Prevents kidney stones and protects the body from oxalates in coffee and tea.
• Alkalizes the body, helping to balance overly acidic dietary habits.
• Cures ulcers, IBS, Crohn's disease and other digestive disorders.
• Reduces high blood pressure natural, by treating the cause, not just the symptoms.
• Nourishes the body with minerals, vitamins, enzymes and glyconutrients.
• Accelerates healing from physical burns and radiation burns.
• Replaces dozens of first aid products, makes bandages and antibacterial sprays obsolete.
• Halts colon cancer, heals the intestines and lubricates the digestive tract.
• Ends constipation.
• Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces triglycerides in diabetics.
• Prevents and treats candida infections.
• Protects the kidneys from disease.
• Functions as nature's own "sports drink" for electrolyte balance, making common sports drinks obsolete.
• Boosts cardiovascular performance and physical endurance.
• Speeds recovery from injury or physical exertion.
• Hydrates the skin, accelerates skin repair.

Truly, there is nothing else that compares to the medicinal potential of aloe vera. And yet most people only know about the topical applications of aloe vera gel. They think it's only good for sunburns. In reality, aloe vera is useful for both external and internal use.
Full article: http://www.naturalnews.com/021858_aloe_vera_gel.html

Health News

You probably know that avocados are an excellent source of healthful fats, but this whole food may also have other unique health benefits.After reading this article, I'm making sure that I make avocados part of my daily diet:

The Many Health Benefits of Avocado 

 

I no longer eat at McDonalds. Thise article will tell you just one of the reasons why: 

The Unsavory Truth of the McRib and Other Fake Foods, and Why Russia Banned US-Raised Meat 

 

 

Health benefits of fully ripe bananas:
"According to Japanese Scientific Research, fully ripe bananas with dark patches on yellow skin produce a substance called TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) which has the ability to combat abnormal cells. The more darker patches it has the higher will be its immunity enhancement quality; Hence, the riper the banana the better the anti-cancer quality. Yellow skin banana with dark spots on it is 8x more effective in enhancing the property of white blood cells than green skin version. Eating 1-2 banana/s a day increases immunity."

 

Coconut Oil-The Healthiest Oil on Earth

Coconut oil has been described as "the healthiest oil on earth." That's quite a remarkable statement. What makes coconut oil so good? What makes it different from all other oils, especially other saturated fats?
Those were questions that I asked, too. I now am a firm believer in the health benefits of cocnut oil.

Modern medical science is now confirming the use of coconut in treating many of the above conditions. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below:
 

• Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses.
• Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
• Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.
• Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
• Provides a nutritional source of quick energy.
• Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.
• Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
• Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
• Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
• Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
• Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
• Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
• Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.
• Helps protect against osteoporosis.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
• Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.
• Improves digestion and bowel function.
• Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
• Reduces inflammation.
• Supports tissue healing and repair.
• Supports and aids immune system function.
• Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
• Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.
• Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.
• Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
• Functions as a protective antioxidant.
• Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.
• Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
• Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).
• Reduces epileptic seizures.
• Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
• Dissolves kidney stones.
• Helps prevent liver disease.
• Is lower in calories than all other fats.
• Supports thyroid function.
• Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
• Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.
• Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.
• Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.
• Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
• Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.
• Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
• Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
• Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.
• Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
• Helps control dandruff.
• Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.
• Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.
• Is completely non-toxic to humans.

 This information is from http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/

Some great Ideas!

I  came across these great ideas today...

Ever buy a pair of shoes that you just love, but are just alittle too tight for comfort? Or one foot is bigger than the other? That's my problem. My right foot is wider than the left so when the left shoe fits like a glove, the right one is pinching my foot!

Here's How to fix too-tight shoes. I plan to try this out in the next day or twoo. I'll let you all know how it works.

I love scarves. All colors, shapes and sizes! I am always on the look out for new ways to wear them. I found a simply pretty way to tie a scarf that I am just so in love with right now!

Credit for this goes to: 

  
Now here's something really useful to try: How to “Unshrink” Your Clothes! 
I have been very guilty of putting one too many pieces of clothing into the dryer only to pull it out a few sizes smaller.

 With all of the sickness and virus' going around these days, we all need any extra prevention against them if possible. I found this great page that shows you how to Make Your Own Antibacterial Moisturizing Lotion

 

Coconut oil is very popular these days. This list of 101 uses for coconut oil will show you why. I am an avid user of coconut oil, using hardly anything else on my skin.

 

How to Organize Christmas Decorations!

Whew! I am sooooo glad that Christmas is over! 

It seems to take me forever to put all of the Christmas decorations away each year. This time I decided to make it alittle easier for me next time. 

I made these up on my computer.

Now I know what's inside each container.

So much more organized! And neater!

Yes, that is ALL Christmas decorations!

I used garbage bags for larger decorations such as a couple of trees that I left decorated. This way all I have to do next time is take them out of the bags and voila! all decorated and ready to go!