Volume 7 February 2007

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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.

("Netiquette" statement is at the end of this email, see below.)

Did You Know...?

C O N T E N T S

Survey, & Special Pandemic Links
Stain Removal --  Shoe Polish
Financial Fitness -- New Tax Refund Options
Family Life -- Listening To Your Children
Nutrition & What's Cooking -- New Year’s Resolutions
Home Tips -- Wipe Away!
Ways to Wellness -- Is It Your Right to Choose What You Eat?
In The Work Place -- Workplace Hygiene Tips To Avoid Colds and Flu

As we begin a new year of Take-a-Moment (our seventh!) We welcome our new listmembers and wave a friendly "hello" to our old friends.

Please note that effective 1/4/07 we are using a new email address at this domain to distribute Take-A-Moment newsletters.  Instead of receiving email from subscribers@take-a-moment.com, we will be using subscribers@take-a-moment.com.

Survey Winner

Thank you to everyone that participated in our subscribers survey.  Your feedback is very important to us.  We wish to congratulate Nicholas Eastman of Louisville, he is our winner for the Cracker Barrel gift card valued at $25.

Reminder to Practice Safe Habits with Email and the Internet

You should always be mindful of the email that you open, links within, and any attachments.  Fortunately we have  tools with Anti-Virus, Anti-Spam and Anti-Phishing software (you should be using some brand of protection.)  Unfortunately there are always those that will pick and hunt and find some way around to exploit you.  One recent exploit is a variant of the old "Nigerian" scam, this time it is specifically targeting KEHA members claiming to have gotten your email contact information from the KEHA board listings.  This is false and is aimed at "seducing" you into feeling confident that the email is genuine; it is not.  Be skeptical, if you even get whiff of something "phishy", it probably is.  to find out more about the Nigerian Scam check @ Snopes.com and <search> for "nigerian". 

(Hint:  You will find volumes of information on scams, hoaxes, and genuine issues at Snopes.  Have a look around and keep this site bookmarked for the next time "the friend of a friend of a friend" sends you an "urgent" warning.)

SPECIAL Links

Since there has been concern over the potential for a pandemic via "bird flu" we wish to provide you with several links to sites with great information on prevention and response.  We hope that none of us will ever need this information, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared and have information available.

STAIN REMOVAL
SHOW POLISH
stainremoval@take-a-moment.com

White

Sponge with commercial cleaner.* Tamp or use a spoon. Flush with a commercial cleaner.* Repeat until no more stain is removed. Sponge with amyl acetate. Tamp or use spoon. Flush with commercial cleaner.* Allow to dry. Sponge with water. Add a few drops of white vinegar. Tamp or use spoon. Flush with water. Repeat until no more stain is removed.

Other Color

Sponge with a commercial cleaner* or a pre-wash soil and stain remover. Let dry (do not dry in dryer). Repeat if necessary. Rinse. Rub detergent into dampened stain. Launder. If stain remains, sponge with rubbing alcohol. Rinse. Launder. If stain remains, use chlorine bleach if safe for fabric.

*Look for products containing petroleum distillates or hydrocarbon such as trichloroethane, xylene, methylenechloride, methane, benzene and/or naphtha. These chemicals may be found in such spot removers and cleaners as Guardsman's Afta, Dap cleaner and Thinner, Goof Off, M-1 Remover, Goo Gone, K2r.

-Read labels carefully and follow instructions.
-Use in well ventilated area.
-Pretest on inconspicuous area of garment.
-Keep out of reach of children.

Mention of a trademark or proprietary product in the text does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products.

Information taken from the Homecare 1 Spot and Stain Problems, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service 1995 resource.

FINANCIAL FITNESS
NEW TAX REFUND OPTIONS
finances@take-a-moment.com

If you will be receiving a tax refund this year you will be able to get your money direct deposited in up to three accounts.

By using a new Form 8888, you can specify one, two or three accounts (such as checking, health savings and retirement accounts). Computer users can download the form at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8888.pdf.

You indicate the amount you want to direct deposit from your tax return in each account. There is no minimum amount requirement. If you prefer, you can directly deposit the total refund in one account, but you do not need the new form to do this. In the past, you could receive your refund in the form of a check or a direct deposit to either your checking or savings account as indicated on Form 1040. These same options are available, but, in addition, you will be able to specify more than one account as a direct depositor.

More than 75 percent of U.S. taxpayers are entitled to a refund (averaging $2,171) each year. Some may not understand how to adjust their W2 statement to limit their payroll withholding amount; however, many perceive paying in enough to get a tax refund as a good way to force themselves to save money.

Actually, the taxpayer would be better off taking the additional amount and depositing it in an account that would earn interest during the year. The federal government does not pay interest, although it has the use of taxpayer money that is stashed away in payroll withholding accounts until the taxpayer requests the excess when he or she pays taxes by April 15 of every year.

There is safety and speed in direct depositing tax refunds. The taxpayer must provide valid routing and account numbers before the transaction can be made. Refunds are received in two weeks or less.

The new split-refund option will allow taxpayers to conveniently designate – at the time they file – and deposit their refund into their preferred U.S. financial institution. They will attach the new Form 8888 to their return indicating amounts for each allocation and with information for each account. This ability to split or allocate direct deposit refunds among multiple accounts is available in January 2007 to all individual filers using any of the 1040 series forms. This could mean greater savings for families who might otherwise quickly “blow” the whole amount on one major purchase instead of setting aside at least part of their tax refund for future use.

FAMILY LIFE
LISTENING TO YOUR CHILDREN
familylife@take-a-moment.com

All human beings long to be heard, understood and appreciated. It’s true, of you, me and our children.

Assure your children that you do listen to them by taking time to show you’re interest in what they have to say and their feelings and dreams. This shows children you respect what they have to say. Equally important, the children will learn to treat others with the same sensitivity you’ve shown them. They also will listen to and respect other people’s visions and viewpoints.

As you listen to your children, they will learn by example to respectfully listen to what you and others are saying. Listening also will help children express themselves and develop self-confidence.

These tips will help you better listen to your children’s feelings and dreams.

To let your child know he or she has your attention, gently touch the child before the child begins to talk to you.

Remember, you’re not truly listening to a child if you’re reading the newspaper or thinking about something that happened that day. Stop what you’re doing and look at the child, paying attention to what is being said.

It’s important not to always stand over your son or daughter, so sit or place yourself at the same level as your child. Continually standing above children tends to make them feel overpowered and a little.

Develop the habit of reaching out to your children by trying to understand and feel the world from their points of view.

To help your children gain knowledge, skills and a sense of responsibility, let them take part in household decisions such as helping decide where to go on a family weekend outing or choosing their clothes.

Compile a short, simple list of who does what. Be sure to divide responsibilities equally and fairly. Break larger jobs down into several parts. Give advance notice of upcoming chore assignments and deadlines.

Make sure children’s responsibilities are age appropriate. Give children different jobs each week; variety adds spice and gives youngsters different experiences.

A child will rarely do a job as well at first as an adult might. A child will be less eager to help out if you complain that the chore wasn’t done just like you would have accomplished it. Be patient, appreciative and generous with praise for what the child has accomplished.

Remember, children generally like for you to work side-by-side with them.

NUTRITION & WHAT'S COOKING
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
whatscooking@take-a-moment.com

Many New Years Resolutions are made and broken, usually when it comes to diets and losing weight. Why not make those that have a broad impact on your total health and ones that are easy to keep?

1. Eat Bran Cereal in place of high calorie ones-they are loaded with fiber, and help us lose weight and help lower blood sugar and cholesterol.

2. Eat less Meals on the Go or go meatless- these higher fat foods can lead to many cancers. You don’t have to become a vegetarian but place more emphasis on plant foods

3. Let beans squeeze out starches-eat at least three cups of legumes a week. They are usually inexpensive, lower in fat and higher in potassium, folate, iron and protein.

4. Don’t drink your calories-calories you drink are usually ones that show up most on the scales. Soft drinks account for many of the empty nutrient calorie laden drinks that especially teenagers are drinking instead of milk.

5. Hold the Cheese-cheese is everywhere these days. Most sandwiches is a given and many salads have them in them. Although cheese is a good source of calcium, most of those on fast foods are processed cheeses that are high in fat and calories. Order foods without.

6. Snack Smart-the average American eats three meals a day and snacks two a day. Snacking is fine when it is nutrient dense food. Snacking usually adds many unnecessary calories that many cannot afford.

7. Make it salmon, not tuna-it is recommended to eat fish at least two times a week with its omega-3-fatty acids in which salmon is higher.

8. Sip soup, not salt-salt raises blood pressure and if you buy ready made there are roughly 1000 mg of sodium per serving. Making homemade soups helps with this problem or purchase those lower in sodium.

9. Roast vegetables, not potatoes-potatoes are healthy but try other with them such as squash, carrots, mushrooms and eggplant and this method saves time and uses much less fat.

10. Finish with fruit-for many people, dessert is time to splurge. Look for fruit instead of high calorie, fat desserts. You can often times save an extra 1000 calories.

HOME TIPS
WIPE AWAY!
hometips@take-a-moment.com

Here is an inside look at cleaning wipes and how they work.

Kitchen and Bathrooms

· Wipes with dishwashing liquid -- for hand dishwashing. They lather up once water is added.
· Heat-activated wipes – for cleaning baked-on foods in microwaves. As you heat the towelette pouch in the microwave, special cleaners are released that soften and loosen baked-on food residue. Allow the pouch to cool. Then, use the warm towelette to wipe the interior clean.
· Disinfecting wipes – for cleaning hard surfaces, such as countertops, sinks, windows and toilets. These wipes are a convenient way to clean commonly – touched surfaces at home (refrigerator and faucet handles, light switch covers, door handles, telephone receivers) and at work (water fountain handles, microwave door handles, computer keyboards).
· Flushable bathroom wipes – for cleaning around toilet rims, tanks, faucets, sinks and basins. They disperse in water when agitated, like toilet paper – thus, they’re safe for plumbing and septic tanks.

Furniture and Flooring

Some wipes are premoistened with special cleaning solutions for cleaning and shining furniture. For those who prefer the clothe-and-polish method, these wipes are available with cleansing conditioners that enhance product performance.

A rinse-free way to remove dirt from floors is to use special all-in-one mopping units. They use moist, disposable, electrostatic cloths that contain a cleaning solution. The solution dissolves soil, while the disposable pad absorbs the solution. These units can be used to clean vinyl, ceramic tile, laminate, linoleum and finished wood floors.

Other wipes are dry for capturing dust and dirt.

· Mitts – for general cleaning and dusting surfaces, such as tabletops, television screens, picture frames and knickknacks.
· Dry, electrostatic wipes – disposable cloths that attract soil without leaving any residue. They’re perfect for cleaning hard surfaces, because dust is captured and disposed of along with the cloth.

WAYS TO WELLNESS
IS IT YOUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT YOU EAT?
wellness@take-a-moment.com

It has been shown that trans fats are unhealthy if eaten in substantial amounts.  New York City is concerned about the health of its citizens.  It is banning almost all use of trans fats in restaurants and food services over the next 18 months.  This certainly sounds like a noble cause that will keep New Yorkers healthy. Other cities might want to follow.  However, trans fats are not the only component in foods that is unhealthy.  There are additives that some research data find suspect.  Sugar and salt have been linked to various chronic diseases.  Consumption of naturally occurring saturated fats will increase a person’s blood cholesterol levels.  Do you want steak, sausage, biscuits, pie, ice cream, or cookies banned from the American diet?  Some of the questions that need to be asked are: “Where should legislation begin and where should it end? Who is responsible for what an individual eats?  Would clear food labeling help consumers make good choices?  Do consumers have enough knowledge to make these choices?”  For information about these questions and others, contact your local county Extension agent.

Source: Janet S. Kurzynske, Extension Specialist for Food and Nutrition, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture

February is American Heart Month and Snack Food Month. Take-a-moment to choose snacks that are heart healthy and that meet part of your nutritional needs for the day. Have you ever been so busy with work and family that all you had time for was to grab a quick snack (a mini-meal)? All the more reason to choose snacks that provide you with the nutrients you need for energy, mental alertness, and a healthy body.

Snacks that are high in refined carbohydrates such as cookies, chips, and pastries are often high in sodium and fat and low in fiber. These snacks do not make the healthiest snacks. This is especially important if you are trying to watch your weight, lower your blood pressure or control your blood sugar.

Here are some healthy, delicious snack ideas -

1. Put a few raw veggies and fruits together in a zip lock bag. Use orange wedges, apple slices, raw cauliflower and raw carrots. The orange gives everything a nice flavor and helps keep the apple slices from turning too brown.
2. Smoothie - Blend skim milk, fruit and wheat germ to make a delicious drink that tastes like a milk shake.
3. Low-sodium vegetable juice helps you to get to 5 a day.
4. Cereal parfait - Place light nonfat yogurt, fruit and whole grain cereal in a plastic cup. You will have a nutritious snack ready to go.
5. Baked sweet potato - Bake an extra one for dinner. You can take cold slices to work for a quick pick-me-up.
6. Peanut butter crackers - This is extra healthy when you place it on 100% whole grain, low-fat crackers or even 100% whole grain bread.
7. Dried fruit or fresh fruit that comes wrapped in its own natural packaging. Just grab and go.

These are just a few of the many healthy choices that are available for each of us. Next time you head to work, put those vending machine quarters in your "vacation" piggy bank and take a planned snack from home. You will save money and not accumulate unwanted calories.

IN THE WORK PLACE
WORKPLACE HYGIENE TIPS TO AVOID COLDS AND FLU
workplace@take-a-moment.com

We often catch colds, the flu and other illnesses in the workplace. Then we take these home often spreading germs to our family and friends. Following these guidelines will help you stay healthier at work and at home.

Try to avoid people who are sick. If your illness might be contagious, don’t spread it to others; take some time off work if possible.

Remember to wash your hands often. Use soap and warm water and lather for at least 15 seconds. In addition, ask maintenance personnel to post signs in washrooms and kitchen areas reminding others to wash their hands with soap and warm water.

Maintain clean surfaces around you. For instance, regularly clean and disinfect door knobs, your computer mouse and telephone. Also, wash your hands after using another person’s equipment such as a computer or pen, and shared equipment such as the office copier and fax machine.

Help keep surfaces such as bathroom and kitchen counters as dry and clean as possible to help control moisture-loving bacteria like mold and mildew. Report leaks to the building management or maintenance personnel.

To minimize foodborne bacteria, keep workplaces and break rooms crumb-free and wipe up spills. As a courtesy to co-workers, clean spills or spattered food in office microwave ovens and refrigerators.

Wipe your shoes before entering the building to remove dirt, dust, pollen and other allergens that may be on the bottom of your shoes. This will also protect floors and carpets. Request that ventilation air filters be regularly changed.

If you’re traveling, use disinfectant wipes. These can be used on a plane, in the car and in a hotel room. You can buy individual packets of disinfectant wipes at pharmacies and discount or grocery stores.

Sources: Linda Adler and Soap and Detergent Association