How to Clean Fresh Produce

You may find that the more you research about the contamination of produce from pesticides, herbicides, bacteria and other dangerous substances, the more afraid you become! But don’t despair – you have many options to clean your fresh produce and make them safer to eat.

Here are some tip:

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Avoid Pillow Allergies

Your pillow is a source of soft comfort and a good night’s sleep. But it can also be a source of allergens, primarily dust mites. Because your face and head rest on the pillow all night, your exposure is inescapable. You spend about 1/3 of every day lying on your pillow. So if you have allergies, it’s a good idea to maintain an allergy-free pillow along with the rest of your bedding.

Washing

If you have allergies, you probably already wash your bedding in hot water each week. Include your pillow case in this washing. While hanging clothes out to dry saves energy, skip this step with your bedding if you are allergic. Run your pillow case through the dryer on a hot setting.

Wash the pillow itself every month or so (if it is washable – check the tag). Some experts say washing pillows every three months will suffice. Either way, use hot water and the dryer as well. Run them through the rinse cycle twice.

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Top 10 Sources of Calcium

Health professionals emphasize the importance of calcium in our diets, especially for women. There are good reasons for this emphasis – calcium is essential for strong bones (especially in post-menopausal women), proper muscle and nerve function, and proper blood clotting.

Food sources of calcium are best for obtaining this mineral. Supplements may not be “bioavailable,” or easily absorbed by the body.

Adult men and pre-menopausal women need about 1000 milligrams of calcium a day, and women need about 1200 milligrams after menopause.

Here are the top 10 foods that are good sources of calcium:

1. Plain Yogurt

One 8-ounce cup of plain yogurt contains anywhere from 415 to 452 milligrams of calcium. Because of the live cultures in yogurt, the calcium is absorbed better than the calcium in 8 ounces of milk. Low-fat, not fat-free yogurt is the best choice. Vitamin D, which is essential to calcium absorption, is fat-soluble. Thus, the fat content in yogurt may help with the absorption of calcium.

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