Lady Victoria Eclectic Pagan's blog: "Helpful Hints"

Put an 'ICE' Entry into Your Phone With Emergency Contact Information-Truth! Summary of the eRumor The eRumor says that after the terrorist bombings in London in July, 2005, an ambulance service started a campaign to encourage you to put an 'ICE' entry into your cell phone that contains the names and numbers of people to be contacted in case you are in an emergency. The Truth The campaign is true, although it was not prompted by the London terrorist bombings. It was started in April, 2005 by a paramedic based in Cambridge in England. His name is Bob Brotchie and he is a clinical team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust. He said he got tired of trying to figure out who to contact when dealing with shocked or injured patients who can't give the information themselves. The campaign encourages people to put an entry in their cell phones and other portable address devices under the name of 'ICE' (In case of emergency). Emergency personnel can quickly check the cell phone for the ICE entry and reach whoever's name and contact information is there. It also gives the cell phone owner the opportunity to choose who will be contacted during an emergency when that person may not want Mom, Dad, or some other same-named relative to be called. The announcement of the campaign in April was made by Brotchie, a British war hero named Simon Weston, and the Vodafone Life Saver Awards. Vodafone is a cell provider in the UK and says that its research has shown that more than 75 percent of the people it surveyed don't carry any information about who they would want contacted on their behalf in case of an emergency. In July, 2005, an email started circulating saying that an email about ICE should not be opened because it is a virus. There has not been a virus discovered using 'ICE' as a subject message. The virus warning was a hoax, perhaps circulated by someone who was afraid that the email could be a virus. A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet: Following the disaster in London, the Ambulance Service have launched a national 'In case of Emergency (ICE)' worldwide campaign. The idea is that you store the word ' I C E ' in your mobile phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted 'In Case of Emergency'. In an emergency situation ambulance and hospital staff will then be able to quickly find out who your next of kin are and be able to contact them. It's so simple that everyone can do it. Please do. Please will you also email this to all the people you know, it won't take too many 'forwards' before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. For more than one contact name ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc. It’s a great idea, store it in your phone then pass on the message to your family and friends.

Adapted from 547 Ways to be Fuel Smart, by Roger Albright. We can conserve gas with some car maintenance steps. For example, we can get 6 to 20 percent higher mile per gallon (mpg) with a properly tuned engine. Keeping a mileage record will tell us when our gas mileage is slipping, which is a signal for a tune-up. Here are 12 more tips for how to stretch a tank of gas. * You can easily take care of a few items without going to a service station. One of them is the air filter. A clogged air filter leaves your engine gasping for breath and means you’re probably running with a “rich” mixture, that is, more gas and less air. Many department and auto stores carry air filters, and they are simple to change. A clogged air filter can cost you 1 mpg. Replace your air filter regularly. * Dirty oil cuts back engine efficiency, so make sure your oil is changed according tot he car manufacturer’s recommended schedule. You can change your own, and buying your own oil is much cheaper. There’s a drain plug under your engine that will come out readily with a wrench. Have a bucket ready to catch the dirty oil, and remember to dispose of it safely. * If your fan belt is too tight, your engine is working too hard and wasting gas. The belt should give a little to finger pressure when the engine is not running. if it doesn’t, you can easily adjust the tension with a wrench. * Badly worn spark plugs can cost you as much as 2 mpg. This is probably a job for a trained technician. * The car has been a way of life for most Americans. There are alternatives. These include mass transit, bike paths, and car pools. * Heavier cars are more costly to run. A reduction of 200 pounds in automotive weight typically improves fuel economy by nearly 5 percent. * Use the air conditioner in your car as little as possible. It uses a lot of gas. Roll down the windows and get some fresh air! * Using cruise control can save gas. If you drive on the open road often, staying at a constant speed will save fuel. * If you are taking a trip, start early in the day while traffic is light. Plan to stop for meals at times when traffic is heavy. * Don’t let your car idle for a long time to warm it up. Also, don’t let your car idle for more than a minute after it is warmed up - this idling wastes more gas than restarting your car. * Do not rev the engine and then quickly shut your car off. This wastes gas. It also pumps raw gasoline into the cylinder walls. This can wash away a film of oil that protects the cylinders and will increase engine wear. * Check your tires. Your owner’s manual has important information on your tires, including the correct air pressure that should be in them. Underinflation of your tires can cost you as much as 1 mpg. Radial tires have 50 percent less road resistance, so they give you 3 to 19 percent better mpg.

Your Clothes Dryer Just thought that I'd pass this one on!! It makes sense!! The heating unit went out in my dryer. The guy that fixes things went in to the dryer pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. We always clean the lint from the filter after every load of clothes. He told us that he wanted to show us something. He took the filter over to the sink, ran hot water over it. Now, the lint filter is made of a mesh material - I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. WELL...the hot water just sat on top of the mesh!!! It didn't go through it at all!!! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire & potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time & to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long! How about that???!!!! Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd share! Note: I went to my dryer & tested my screen by running water on it. The water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water & a nylon brush & I had it done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it the water ran right through the screen! There wasn't any piddling at all! That repairman knew what he was talking about! PLEASE PASS THIS ON. NOT ONLY COULD IT SAVE SOMEONE'S HOME, BUT IT COULD SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE.

Directory of Natural Sweeteners The array of products in the sweetener aisle of your health food store might seem rather mystifying to the natural foods novice, but with a little help, sweeteners like rice syrup, barley malt syrup, and date sugar, among others, can be used with great effect in baked goods of all kinds. While the detrimental effects of refined sweeteners such as white sugar and corn syrup are still being debated, there's little doubt that Americans consume far too much of it. While natural sweeteners aren't nutritional bell ringers, they are generally considered to produce less of a shock to the body's blood sugar level because among the nutrients found in whole food sugars are necessary minerals that help with sugar metabolism. From a culinary standpoint, natural sweeteners offer bolder, more complex flavors than sugar, adding delectably different dimensions to baked goods and other treats. DIRECTORY OF LESS REFINED SWEETENERS, INCLUDING CHART OF EQUIVALENTS Barley Malt: Dark, sticky and boldly flavored, barely malt sugar is nonetheless neither as assertive as blackstrap molasses nor as sweet as honey. Primarily maltose, a complex sugar that enters the bloodstream slowly. This sweetener offers trace amounts of eight vitamins and several minerals. Barley malt syrup is a wonderful addition to squash and pumpkin breads, bran muffins, and hearty rye or pumpernickel breads. Use it to glaze sweet potatoes and to make winter "malteds" combined with bananas and soy milk. Date Sugar: Not actually a sugar in the conventional sense, date sugar is ground from dehydrated dates. What a great source of sweetness. Dates are high in fiber, and rich in a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Date sugar can be exchanged measure for measure for sugar in baking, for cakes, muffins, and quick breads. Use it in place of brown sugar to make crumb toppings for pies and fruit crisps. It can't be used to sweeten beverages, though, as the tiny pieces won't dissolve. Fruit Juice Concentrates: Made from the juice of fruit that has been reduced about one quarter by slow cooking. Note that some commercial fruit juice concentrates have been stripped of flavor and nutritional value. Fructose: Derived from fruit sugar, this sweetener, closely resembles granular white sugar but is more concentrated so that less is needed for a similar effect--about 1/2 cup fructose to 1 cup of sugar. Though fructose has little nutritional value, it is generally believed that it doesn't disturb the blood sugar level as much as sucrose. Use it in place of sugar as an all-purpose sweetener in baking and cooking, and in hot and cold beverages. FruitSource: A relatively new natural sweetening product, Fruitsource replaces not only sugar, but also fat, in baking. Made from a natural blend of grape and rice carbohydrates, it can also be used as a general-purpose sweetener for hot and cold beverages and in cooking. To use in baking, replace every cup of sugar with 1 1/4 cups Fruitsource and reduce fat by 50 percent; optimal oven temperature is 300 to 325 degrees. Granular Fruit Sweeteners: White grape juice and grain sweeteners that have been dehydrated and granulated. Honey: A whole food made by bees from flower nectar. Maltose: Sprouted grains and cooked rice, heated and fermented until starch turns to sugar. Available in Chinese markets. Maple Syrup: Boiled-down sap of maple trees. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Maple syrup has twice as much calcium as milk. Not all maple syrup is pure; some contains traces of formaldehyde, a carcinogen, so it is best to buy organic maple syrup. Molasses: Unsulphured molasses is made from the juice of sun-ripened cane; sulfured molasses is a byproduct of refined sugar; blackstrap molasses is the residue of the cane syrup after the sugar crystals have been separated. It is very nutritious, with high levels of calcium, iron, and potassium. Natural and Organic Sugar: Such as certified organically grown from Florida Crystals, these sweeteners are minimally processed sugar cane. The syrup is dehydrated, then milled into a powder. Rice Syrup: A traditional Asian sweetener, brown rice syrup is made from rice starch converted into maltose, a complex sugar. Rice syrup is the mildest-flavored of the liquid sweeteners and contains trace amounts of B vitamins and minerals. Use it interchangeably with honey in cooking and baking, to sweeten hot or cold beverages and cereals, or as a spread for fresh breads. Sorghum Syrup: Sorghum cane juice, boiled to a syrup. Sorghum cane tends to need few pesticides due to natural insect resistance. Stevia: Stevia is derived from an herb native to Paraguay. It is extremely sweet, and a little goes a very long way. This herb is controversial as a sweetener, The FDA has approved it as a dietary supplement, but not as a sweetener. Available as a greenish powder, stevia imparts a powerful sweetness with an herbal undertone. As sweeteners go, it is quite expensive, though a little goes a very long way. Sucanat: The trade name for this product stands for SUgar CAne NATural, and is made from evaporated sugar cane juice. It is then milled into granules much the same size as white sugar, but with a tawny hue. Sucanat is about 88% sucrose, or simple sugar, as compared to table sugar, which is 99% sucrose, but it retains more vitamins, minerals, and other trace nutrients found in sugar cane. Sucanat has a mild but distinct flavor, with a hint of molasses. As an all-purpose sweetener for baking, cooking, and in hot or cold drinks, use it as a 1-to-1 replacement for white sugar. NOTE: Aspartame (brands Nutrasweet or Equal), and saccharin, are artificial sweeteners. A significant body of evidence suggests that artificial sweeteners can cause health problems. Many doctors now warm pregnant women to avoid any products containing Aspartame. Sweetener Equivalents for 1/2 Cup of Sugar Barley Malt: 1 1/2 cup Date Sugar: 1 cup Fruit Juice Concentrate: equal to sugar Granular Fruit Sweeteners: equal to sugar Honey: 1/3 cup Maltose (from sprouted grains): 1 1/4 cup Maple Syrup: equal to sugar Molasses: 1/3 cup Rice Syrup: 1 1/4 cup Sorghum Syrup: 1/3 cup Sucanat: equal to sugar Organic sugar: equal to sugar Tips for the Tradeoff When a recipe doesn't call for any liquid, such as for cookies, choose a dry, granular sweetener such as date sugar, or the cookies will be too bread-like from the additional flour needed for proper consistency. When you substitute liquid sweeteners for dry, you will need to reduce or eliminate the liquid content of the recipe, and increase the flour. For breads and pies, flavorful fruit juice concentrates and other liquid sweeteners work wonderfully well. For cakes and cupcakes that need to resemble as closely as possible "the real thing," for flavor, choose sorghum syrup or Sucanat. How to Make Concentrated Liquid Sweeteners Adapted from Naturally Sweet Desserts, The Sugar-free Dessert Cookbook by Marcea Weber. Fruit Juices: Boil eight cups organic juice until reduced to two cups. Cool and freeze. To use, warm a knife under hot water and cut out the amount of frozen juice needed, and return the remaining to the freezer. Brown Rice: Cook two cups organic brown rice in five cups of water for 45 minutes. Place in a glass bowl until mixture has cooled to 140 degrees. Add one tablespoon of sprouts made from grain, such as wheat. Cover and place in a warm oven (120-140 degrees) for six hours. Nutritional Analysis of Sucanat for 150g (one cup) water............................2.7g calories.........................570g carbohydrate.....................1.05g fat..............................0g sodium...........................0.5mg potassium........................1,125mg vitamin A........................1600IU thiamin (B1).....................0.21mg riboflavin (B2)..................0.21mg niacin...........................0.20mg calcium..........................165mg iron.............................6.5mg vitamin B6.......................0.60mg magnesium........................127mg zinc.............................2.3mg copper...........................0.3mg pantothenic acid.................1.8mg chromium.........................40mcg phosphorus.......................48mg Source: USDA Handbook of Nutrient Content of Foods

Vinegar is a mainstay of the old folk recipes for cleaning, and with good reason. The vim of the vinegar is that it kills bacteria, mold, and germs. Heinz company spokesperson Michael Mullen references numerous studies to show that a straight 5 percent solution of vinegar—such as you can buy in the supermarket—kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses). He noted that Heinz can't claim on their packaging that vinegar is a disinfectant since the company has not registered it as a pesticide with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, it seems to be common knowledge in the industry that vinegar is powerfully antibacterial. Even the CBS news show 48 Hours had a special last December with Heloise reporting on tests from The Good Housekeeping Institute that showed this. Just like antibiotics, common disinfectants found in sponges and household sprays may contribute to drug resistant bacteria, according to researchers of drug resistance at Tufts New England Medical Center. Furthermore, research at the Government Accounting Office shows that many commercial disinfectants are ineffective to begin with, just like antibiotics. Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse, but let it set overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off.

In most ways there are few government safeguards in place for us regarding the safety of commercial cleaning products, but “signal words” and "warning words" on product labels are one notable exception. They are placed there by order of the federal government and are primarily for helping you protect your family’s health. Learn how to recognize the warning signs that you’re holding a toxic product in your hands. One of the best ways to protect your self from toxic products is to read labels and pay particular attention to “signal words.” They are placed on products by order of the federal government, with the primary purpose of protecting you, but sometimes to tell you about the products’ potential impact on the environment. POISON/DANGER means something very toxic; only a few drops could kill you. WARNING means moderately toxic; as little as a teaspoonful can kill. CAUTION denotes a product that is less toxic; two tablespoons to a cup could kill you. There are a few others, called "warning words" such as STRONG SENSITIZER, TOXIC, CARCINOGEN, FLAMMABLE, and CORROSIVE. The Environmental Health Foundation, in its book Toxic Turnaround, compiled a list of the top four chemical groups we should reject and eliminate. These four are pesticides, toxic gases (such as chlorine and ammonia), heavy metals (such as lead and mercury), and volatile organic compounds (such as formaldehyde and solvents). The guidelines are an excellent starting point. If we eliminate these chemicals, we will go a long way toward solving our environmental and health problems. I add plastics as a fifth category because of the increasing evidence that many plastic components are endocrine disrupters, synthetic chemicals that our bodies receive as if they were natural hormones.

Learning to clean from scratch—making home-made recipes—can truly work if you take time to understand a bit about the chemistry behind how the materials work. Here are the five ingredients that I find to be the safest, most effective, and useful for cleaning. Baking Soda A commonly available mineral full of many cleaning attributes, baking soda is made from soda ash, and is slightly alkaline (it’s pH is around 8.1; 7 is neutral). It neutralizes acid-based odors in water, and adsorbs odors from the air. Sprinkled on a damp sponge or cloth, baking soda can be used as a gentle nonabrasive cleanser for kitchen counter tops, sinks, bathtubs, ovens, and fiberglass. It will eliminate perspiration odors and even neutralize the smell of many chemicals if you add up to a cup per load to the laundry. It is a useful air freshener, and a fine carpet deodorizer. Washing Soda A chemical neighbor of baking soda, washing soda (sodium carbonate) is much more strongly alkaline, with a pH around 11. It releases no harmful fumes and is far safer than a commercial solvent formula, but you should wear gloves when using it because it is caustic. Washing soda cuts grease, cleans petroleum oil, removes wax or lipstick, and neutralizes odors in the same way that baking soda does. Don’t use it on fiberglass, aluminum or waxed floors—unless you intend to remove the wax. White Vinegar and Lemon Juice White vinegar and lemon juice are acidic—they neutralize alkaline substances such as scale from hard water. Acids dissolve gummy buildup, eat away tarnish, and remove dirt from wood surfaces. Liquid Soaps and Detergent Liquid soaps and detergents are necessary for cutting grease, and they are not the same thing. Soap is made from fats and lye. Detergents are synthetic materials discovered and synthesized early in this century. Unlike soap, detergents are designed specifically so that they don’t react with hard water minerals and cause soap scum. If you have hard water buy a biodegradable detergent without perfumes; if you have soft water you can use liquid soap (both are available in health food stores). Mold Killers and Disinfectants For a substance to be registered by the EPA as a disinfectant it must go through extensive and expensive tests. EPA recommends simple soap to use as a disinfectant There are many essential oils, such as lavender, clove, and tea tree oil (an excellent natural fungicide), that are very antiseptic, as is grapefruit seed extract, even though they aren’t registered as such. Use one teaspoon of essential oil to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle (make sure to avoid eyes). A grapefruit seed extract spray can be made by adding 20 drops of extract to a quart of water. Caution Make sure to keep all home-made formulas well-labeled, and out of the reach of children. Helpful Hints Protect your health by learning what "signal words" mean on labels.

I always knew that soaking in a tub full of hot water with a few cups of Epsom Salts was good for relaxing muscles and drawing toxins from the body, but I could never find out why. And it wasn't until I spent some time at the Epsom Salt Industry Council website that I learned that Epsom Salts -- made of the mineral magnesium sulfate--are also a sedative for the nervous system. When magnesium sulfate is absorbed through the skin, such as in a bath, it draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, is a natural emollient, exfoliator, and much more. EPSOM SALT TIPS Adapted from the Epsom Salt Industry Council Epsom Salt Council Note: Check with a doctor before using if you have any health concerns. * Relaxing and Sedative Bath: Soak in warm water and 2 cups of Epsom Salt. * Face Cleaner: To clean your face at night, mix a half-teaspoon of Epsom Salt with your regular cleansing cream. Just massage into skin and rinse with cold water. * Homemade Skin Mask: Apply the mask to damp skin. For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of nonfat dry milk, the juice of 1 lemon, and a half-teaspoon of Epsom Salt. For normal to dry skin mix 1/4 cup of grated carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and a half-teaspoon of Epsom Salt. * Foot Soak: Soothe aches, remove odors, and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry. * Skin Exfoliator: Massage handfuls of Epsom Salt over your wet skin, starting with your feet and continuing up towards the face. Have a bath to rinse. * Remove Excess Oil from Hair: Epsom Salt soaks up excess oil from hair. Add 9 tablespoons of Epsom Salt to 1/2 cup of oily hair shampoo. Apply one tablespoon of the liquid to your hair when it is dry; rinse with cold water. Pour lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar through the hair, leave on for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse. * Hairspray: Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup Epsom Salt. Combine, cover, and let set for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then shampoo as normal. * Hair Volumizer: Combine equal parts of deep conditioner and Epsom Salt. Warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse. * Soak Sprains and Bruises: Epsom Salt will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Add 2 cups Epsom Salt to a warm bath, and soak. * Splinter Remover: Soak in Epsom Salt, it will draw out the splinter.

I dug deep in my herbal formula books for this recipe out of desperation, given that a few friends of mine live in the epicenter of the tick-generated Lyme disease epidemic. I tested the essential oil that is recommended for ticks, Rose Geranium, by putting a few drops—no more!— on our dogs’ collars, to see if it would repel ticks. Lo and behold, we went from 20 ticks a day on each dog, to none. The second best essential oil for repelling ticks is American Pennyroyal (also called tickweed). * 2 tablespoons vegetable or nut oil (almond oil contains sulfur, a repellent in its own right) * 10 to 25 drops Rose Geranium essential oil Combine the ingredients in a glass jar; shake to blend. Makes: 2 tablespoons Shelf Life: 6 months Dab a few drops on your skin or clothing, making sure to avoid eyes. Caution Skip the Pennyroyal if there is anyone pregnant (including pets) in the home, as it can induce miscarriage. And as always, use essential oils with caution as they can burn the skin and harm eyes. Don't use these essential oils around cats.Helpful Hints * Palmerosa is a sister essential oil to Rose Geranium, and also repels ticks. It is cheaper, and sometimes easier to find than Rose Geranium. * Another good repellent that also worked on our dogs, is to eat garlic pills (but don't give garlic to cats). A number of people have written me to say that they have had good luck with their dogs and themselves, by keeping to the garlic pill eating regimen every day. * The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) reported in their winter of 1996 Journal of Pesticide Reform that nymphal ticks are reduced from 72.7 to 100 percent when dead leaves are removed from the forest areas surrounding residential areas.