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Category: 2022

Music For Your Mind

Posted on by djbechard

Listening to music is enjoyable and entertaining, but did you know that music could make you healthier?

Music can energize your body, relax your mind, help with pain management, and it can even boost your mental performance and slow cognitive decline. Music can influence your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Here are just a few ways that music impacts your health.

Music can help you pick up the pace when walking and running. Listening to music while you exercise changes your perception of exertion and you are less likely to notice that you are working harder. Listening to fast-paced music can also help boost your motivation and enjoyment of physical activity.

Music can boost mental performance. Instrumental tracks, played quietly in the background, are best, and research has shown that playing more upbeat music led to improvements in processing speed and benefits in memory in older adults.

Music can be an effective way to cope with stress, to soothe the mind, and help you relax. If you have symptoms of depression, music therapy can be a safe and effective way to help manage those symptoms.

Listening to music can be very helpful in the management of chronic pain. A study with fibromyalgia patients found that those who listened to music just one hour a day experienced a significant reduction in pain in comparison to a control group.

Finally, music can help you fall asleep and get better quality sleep. Playing relaxing classical music can be a safe, effective, and affordable remedy for insomnia.

Source: Walk Kansas 2022

By: Ashley Svaty

Things You Should Know About Mold

Posted on by djbechard
  • Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory complaints.
  • There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
  • If mold is a problem in your home, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture.
  • Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60%) to decrease mold growth by:
    • Venting bathrooms, dryers and other moisture-generating sources to the outside
    • Using air conditioners and de-humidifiers
    • Increasing ventilation
    • Using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing and cleaning
  • Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
  • Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely.
  • In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting.
  • Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods.

By: Brenda Langdon

Growing Onions

Posted on by djbechard

This is the time of year that onions grow and develop rapidly. Regular watering and a light fertilization are helpful to maximize growth. If your soil tends to be alkaline, use ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) at the rate of ½ cup per 10 feet of row. Alternatively, you could use a lawn fertilizer such as a 29-5-5, 27-3-3 or anything similar, but only use 1/3 cup per 10 feet of row. Make sure the lawn fertilizer does not have a weed preventer or weed killer included. Sprinkle the fertilizer 2 to 3 inches alongside the row and water in. Do not fertilize after the onions start to bulb. Onions develop so that as much as 2/3 of the bulb remains out of the soil. This is normal and there is no need to cover the bulb with soil.

By: Cassie Homan

Don’t Forget to Vent When Pressure Canning!

Posted on by djbechard

When pressure canning, a critical step to achieving proper pressure inside the canner is allowing it to vent steam. What does this mean?

After placing jars inside the warm canner and attaching the canner lid, set the stove burner on high. Watch for steam to escape from the vent pipe. It should be a strong blast of steam that is visible in a funnel-shape. Let it continuously steam in this manner for 10 minutes. This allows the steam to build inside the canner and push the air out so that the canner will build pressure properly. After the 10 minutes, add the weight or counterweight to build pressure inside the canner.

Air trapped inside a pressure canner lowers the pressure achieved, but more importantly, it lowers the temperature obtained and will result in under-processed and unsafe canned food.

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation and USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. Photo: USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning

By: Ashley Svaty

Sun Safety

Posted on by djbechard

Sunscreen is an important part of sun safety but sunscreen alone isn’t enough to keep you safe from the sun. When used as directed, sunscreen is proven to decrease your risk of skin cancer and help prevent premature skin aging. Wearing sun protective clothing and sunglasses will also increase your protection from the sun. Use the following tips this summer (and year-round) to protect yourself from the sun.

  • Look for Broad spectrum: This sunblock Protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays.
  • Use SPF 30 or higher: Necessary for extended outdoor activities, including distance running, hiking, swimming and outdoor sports. SPF 30 is a must if you work outdoors.
  • Use water resistant and very water-resistant Sunscreens: Sunscreens labeled water resistant are tested to be effective for up to 40 minutes of swimming, while very water-resistant sunscreens stay effective for up to 80 minutes in the water.
  • Wear dark colors: Dark or bright colors keep UV rays from reaching your skin by absorbing them rather than allowing them to penetrate.
  • Choose loose clothes: Tight clothing can stretch and reduce the level of protection offered.
  • Look for a UPF label: Some clothing makers provide UPF labels, which indicate exactly how much of the sun’s rays the garment can shield.
  • Cover up: The more skin your outfit covers, the better your protection. Choose long-sleeved shirts and long pants or skirts.
  • Wear sunglasses year-round: Sun damage to the eyes can occur any time of year. Adults and kids should wear sunglasses year-round and choose shades that block 99 to 100% of UVA and UVB light.
  • Wear a hat: Choose a hat with at least a three-inch brim and tightly woven fabric (no holes) to protect your face and the top of your head.
  • Be aware of clouds: The sun’s rays can pass through haze and clouds, so eye protection is important even when there is cloud cover.
  • Take care near water, snow and sand: 80 percent or more of the sun’s rays reflect off of these surfaces, so that they hit your eyes and skin a second time.
  • Seek shade: Whenever possible, especially during times when the sun is most intense (typically 10 AM – 4 PM).

Source: skincancer.org

By: Ashley Svaty

Simpler Living

Posted on by djbechard

The recent increases in prices for many Americans’ everyday expenses may motivate a return to simpler living. All of us have fixed monthly costs such as housing and variable costs such as food and fuel.  The variable costs are the ones in the short run that we can modify.

Here are some ideas for decreasing costs:

  • Buy products in bulk – especially non-perishable items.
  • Use only as much laundry detergent as required for a load.
  • Seek lower-cost substitutes for products you are already buying.
  • Do it yourself – save costs by taking on home projects yourself.
  • Cook more from scratch.
  • Plant a garden, which can be an opportunity to increase your access to fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits.
  • Avoid impulse buying by having a list at the grocery store. Your budget may not have much flexibility for impulse purchases. Focus on what your needs are.

Save on gas by planning ahead to run several errands on the same trip.

By: Brenda Langdon