Volume 5 December 2005

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Welcome to TAKE-A-MOMENT!

The Take-A-Moment newsletters strive to provide quick-to-read content to improve and enhance the quality of life at home and in the work place...for when you can "take-a-moment" from your hectic schedule. Take-a-Moment is provided by the Louisville Area Cooperative Extension Agents. When you have "more-than-a-moment" visit our web site for expanded articles, article archives, sign-up and contact information, and links to other web sites of interest.

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Did You Know...?

C O N T E N T S

Stain Removal -- Cleaning Flood-Soiled Clothing
Financial Fitness -- Confused about Medicare Part D?
Family Life -- Help Young Children Feel Good About Themselves
Nutrition & What's Cooking -- Proper Food Safety Practices Help Keep Holiday Meals Safe
Home Tips -- A Brighter Holiday
Ways to Wellness -- Wishing You A Restful Holiday Season
In The Work Place -- The 10-Minute Cure For Holiday Stress

STAIN REMOVAL
CLEANING FLOOD-SOILED CLOTHING
stainremoval@take-a-moment.com

When preparing to clean your flood-soiled clothing, start with safety. Wear waterproof gloves when handling flood-contaminated materials. By following these suggestions, you'll be able to minimize damage to your clothes.

• Line dry all articles before treating. After drying, brush off loose dirt or debris.
• Garments made of wool, silk and all articles with a "Dry Clean Only" label will need to be cleaned by a professional.
• Clean the washable textile items as soon as possible to minimize staining.
• Rinse several times in cool water to remove as much mud as possible. Do not immerse flood-soiled garments in hot water. If the floodwaters carried red or yellow clay, hot water could set stains.
• Work a heavy duty liquid detergent or a heavy paste of powdered detergent into the garments. Let them sit 15 to 30 minutes. Then rinse and machine wash, using warm water and detergent.
• Disinfect the garments. Often floodwater becomes contaminated with sewage wastes. Bacteria from floodwaters can remain alive on fabrics for a long time. If it's safe for the fabrics, treat with liquid chlorine bleach. It's the best and least expensive treatment. Dilute bleach in one quart of water before adding to the wash cycle. Five minutes after the wash cycle begins, add one cup of bleach for top-loading and 1/2 cup for front-loading washers. For other fabrics, use a disinfectant, such as a pine-oil product or Lysol. Follow the instructions on the product label.
• If stains remain after washing with detergent and water, apply lemon juice and salt or a bleach solution. Spot test colored garments before treating them.
• Some clothing may have developed mildew stains from prolonged dampness

For more detailed information, contact your local Extension Service Office. Further information can be found at the Extension Disaster Education Network. www.eden.lsu.edu.

FINANCIAL FITNESS
CONFUSED ABOUT MEDICARE PART D?
finances@take-a-moment.com

The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Health Education through Extension Leadership (HEEL) Program is pleased to announce the new Web page on its site that contains Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit Resources. Included in the resources are PowerPoint presentations from a Medicare Part D Interactive Video Broadcast, fact sheets and worksheets for Medicare Part D, a public service announcement, and Web links that can be used to access additional information about the new benefit being offered by Medicare.

You may access the site by going to the following Web link: http://www.ca.uky.edu/heel/medpartd/

Check the site frequently as new announcements and materials will be added regularly.

FAMILY LIFE
HELP YOUNG CHILDREN FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES
familylife@take-a-moment.com

Here are some suggestions for helping young children feel good about themselves.

Provide choices and a sense of control. Instead of dictating a particular activity, give youngsters appropriate choices. "Do you want to build with blocks or draw?" The freedom to choose develops a child's sense of control and forms a partial basis for self-discipline.

Do say do, don't say don't. Emphasize the positive. Tell children what they can do rather than what they cannot do. Instead of, "Don't squeeze the kitten," say, "Carry the kitten gently." Rather than "Don't slam the door," try "Please close the door softly."

Avoid hurrying or pushing children. Hurry sickness is contagious. Don't give it to the children you care for and love. Slow down. Take time to smell the flowers and to enjoy the wonderful miracle of childhood.

Source: Sam Quick

NUTRITION & WHAT'S COOKING
PROPER FOOD SAFETY PRACTICES HELP KEEP HOLIDAY MEALS SAFE
whatscooking@take-a-moment.com

The last thing we want after a holiday meal is for someone to become sickened by a foodborne illness. Proper food safety practices are essential, because we often prepare larger meals, leave food out of the refrigerator longer and then overload the refrigerator. Following proper handling practices from purchase through leftovers storage will help create happy holidays for your family and guests.

• Plan ahead to allow for ample shopping and preparation time. If you will be serving turkey for upcoming holiday dinners, it is important to properly thaw and cook it to prevent foodborne illness.

• The best way to thaw a bird is in the original wrapping in the refrigerator. Thawing it at room temperature creates a growth chamber for bacteria that could cause foodborne illness. In the refrigerator, allow 24 hours for each 5 pounds of weight. Be sure to protect other food in the refrigerator from any drip while the turkey is thawing.

• Immersing the bird in cold water is a faster, but less desirable, thawing method. If you choose this method, cover the whole bird in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow 30 minutes thawing time for each pound of weight.

• Thoroughly cooking a turkey will kill microorganisms that, if present, might cause illness. Using a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to know when the turkey is thoroughly cooked. For a whole turkey, put the thermometer in the inner thigh, being sure not to hit a bone because it will give an inaccurate temperature reading.

• Roast a whole turkey at 325 degrees until the thermometer reaches a temperature of 180 degrees. Cook turkey parts or a breast at 350 degrees until the thermometer reaches 170 degrees. Cook about 15 to 20 minutes per pound.

• Visual signs that the turkey has reached a safe temperature are clear juices that run when you pierce the turkey with a fork and tenderness. Turkey legs should wiggle in the sockets.

• It’s best to bake stuffing separately in a casserole dish for uniform doneness and safety. Place a food thermometer in the center to be sure stuffing reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees.

• If you do decide to cook stuffing inside the turkey, remember the stuffed bird will take longer to properly cook than one that’s not stuffed. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey and the stuffing.

• Carve meat off the carcass before the holiday meal. Maintain the amount you will eat at 140 degrees or higher and immediately refrigerate the remainder in shallow containers for faster cooling. Maintain cold foods at 40 degrees or below.

• While it may be a challenge to return to the kitchen after consuming a big holiday meal, always refrigerate leftover holiday foods within two hours of removing them from the heating or cooling source.

• Cooked turkey should be refrigerated no more than three or four days. Never refrigerate a stuffed turkey because the mass of stuffing slows down the cooling rate. If you plan to freeze the turkey, tightly wrap it to exclude air. Frozen turkey will maintain its quality for three months if properly wrapped and maintained at less then 0 degrees.

• Reheat leftovers only once. Bring gravy to a rolling boil and thoroughly heat turkey and dressing.

HOME TIPS
A BRIGHTER HOLIDAY
hometips@take-a-moment.com

At holiday time, we all dream of a hearth and home that's sparkling clean and guest-ready, 24/7. Before the real world of shopping and socializing intervenes, check out some of these plan-ahead strategies from The Soap and Detergent Association.

Coat Closet Cleanout

Make room for guests' gear. Remove out-of-season items. Launder or dry clean items and put them away. Sort through boots and shoes; store them in bins or hanging organizers. Add hooks for hats and scarves. Restock with hangers sturdy enough for winter coats.

Window Wonderland

Give the world a clear view of your lovely outdoor decorations by cleaning windows! New varieties of glass cleaners offer a range of fragrances, including berry, orange and lemon, to spice up your holiday cleaning.

Green and Clean

Houseplants deserve a holiday spruce-up. Wipe down broadleaf plants with a damp paper towel. For plants with smaller leaves, mist with a spray bottle filled with room temperature water.

Road Rules

Protect your lawns and garden beds with driveway markers to keep snowplows, snowblowers and cars from straying into unwanted places.

Quick Fixes

For hassle-free cleaning once the holidays are in full swing, keep these items close at hand:

• Electrostatic dust cloths for spot dusting tabletops, TV screens, framed photos and knick knacks.

• Toilet brushes with biodegradable pads are particularly handy when more guests mean more traffic in the bathroom. Just brush, and then flush the pad away.

• Disinfectant wipes at sink side in kitchens and bathrooms for quick clean up, and for disinfecting commonly touched, surfaces such as doorknobs and telephones.

• Window wipes to make smudges on windows and mirrors disappear in a wink. Besides on glass, most are also safe to use on chrome, stainless steel, plastic and vinyl surfaces

WAYS TO WELLNESS
WISHING YOU A RESTFUL HOLIDAY SEASON
wellness@take-a-moment.com

Tired bodies, frantic minds, and faces that do not reflect peace and happiness--these are some of the telltale signs of trying to do too much too quickly without getting sufficient rest. Like nature herself, our bodies and minds thrive on balanced rhythms of rest and activity.

For a healthy, enjoyable holiday season, honor your body's need for an abundance of high-quality sleep and occasional periods of rest during the day. In a gentle way, also encourage family members and friends to get adequate rest. This is particularly important for very young children, who easily become irritable when their needs for rest are ignored.

Adults, too, tend to become edgy and short-tempered when they haven't been getting enough sleep. Tiredness weakens our immune systems, dampens our creativity, and slows our reflexes. Sleepiness and the related lack of alertness are principal or contributing factors in accidents of all kinds. American drivers who fall asleep behind the wheel account for nearly 50,000 collisions and 1,500 deaths annually, and many of these occur during the holidays.

When we are weary, it's so much harder to be sensitive to others and to listen really well. When family members are tired, fights are more likely to break out, children are grumpier, discipline becomes more of a problem, and the healing power of laughter is heard less frequently.

Simply getting enough rest can drastically improve our individual and collective well-being. Sleep doesn't cost money, it's not controversial, and, for most of us, it's a pleasant, no-effort activity with lots of positive aftereffects.

Excerpts from a Holiday Survival Guide article prepared by
Sam Quick, Ph.D., Human Development & Family Relations Specialist

Call the Shelby County Extension Office at 502-633-4593 to request a complete copy of "Wishing You a Restful Holiday Season" and other articles on handling holiday stress, holiday depression, and other holiday topics of interest to you.

IN THE WORK PLACE
THE 10 MINUTE CURE FOR HOLIDAY STRESS
workplace@take-a-moment.com

Harmful stress--the kind that generates illness, family violence and war--begins with a lack of inner harmony and peace. During the holiday season, the vibrations of peace are very strong; there is a tangible spirit of giving, friendliness, love and joy. However, despite this spirit of warmth and peace, the holiday season too often finds us spending more than we can afford and eating and drinking too much.

The 10-Minute Cure for Holiday Stress consists of two parts: a five-minute nighttime session for developing more peace, and a similar five-minute early morning session. Each five-minute period consists of three parts as follows:

NIGHTTIME PEACE ATTUNEMENT (5 minutes):

1. Mentally scan back over the day and assess your depth of inner peace during each significant event. In the future, how could you do an ever-better job of being calm and peaceful?
2. Give thanks for the opportunities of the day, and mentally forgive yourself and others for any mistakes and shortcomings.
3. With deep feeling and concentration, send thoughts of peace and loving-kindness to all those who come to mind.

EARLY MORNING PEACE ATTUNEMENT (5 minutes):

1. Take a moment for quiet time as you let yourself feel warmth and peace in your heart.
2. Visualize your upcoming day and see yourself carrying out your activities in a calm, productive, creative, peace-filled way.
3. With deep attention and conviction, mentally repeat to yourself several times: "I feel the spirit of peace around me and within me. Peace, like a bright sun, radiates from my heart. Peace flows through me and blesses all I do."

Why is peace so important? It is absolutely essential to optimal health and the creative management of stress. Peace is the mother of kindness, sensitivity and affection. It is the cornerstone of wisdom, and the foundation of all intelligent decisions. Out of peace comes love, and from love springs joy.