take a moment

take a moment

Take a Moment  Volume 6 June 2006

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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.)

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Did You Know...?

Many of the past newsletters are archived!
  You can go to this link and find past articles, recipes, and reference  resources.


C O N T E N T S

Stain Removal --  Mustard
Financial Fitness --
 All About Credit Bureaus
Family Life --
Exercise And Emotional Well-Being
Nutrition & What's Cooking -- Start Your Day with Breakfast
Home Tips -- Cleaning to Manage Allergens
Ways to Wellness -- June is Dairy Month
In The Work Place -- Work Satisfaction


STAIN REMOVAL
MUSTARD
stainremoval@take-a-moment.com

  1. Scrape off excess mustard.
  2. If washable fabric: apply a pre-wash soil and stain remover or sponge with a commercial cleaner that contains petroleum distillates, tricholoroethane, xylene, methoylenechloride, methane, benzene and/or naphtha. These chemicals may be found in such spot removers and cleaners as Guardsman's Afta, Dap cleaner, Goof off, M-1 Remover, Goo gone, K2r.
  3. Rinse
  4. Work a light-duty liquid detergent and a few drops of vinegar into stain. Rinse well.
  5. If stain remains, apply a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Rinse and launder as appropriate for fabric

No endorsement of companies or products mentioned is intended nor criticism of companies or products not mentioned implied.

 

FINANCIAL FITNESS
ALL ABOUT CREDIT BUREAUS
finances@take-a-moment.com

Credit bureaus collect and organize information about your credit and payment habits. The information is available to other people with a legal reason to see it in the form of a credit report.

How to Get Your Credit Report

To obtain a copy of your credit report, contact one of these three credit bureaus by mail, phone, or Internet:

Equifax Information Services, LLC
Disclosure Department
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
1-800-685-1111
www.equifax.com

Experian National Consumer Assistance Center
Order by phone or online:
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com

TransUnion LLC
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
1-800-888-4213
www.tuc.com

What Your Credit Report Contains

Your credit report may contain any of the following information:

Information about your identity—your name, date of birth, current and previous address, Social Security number, telephone number, and current and past employers.

Credit history—your record of paying bills with lenders and vendors who have given you credit, such as banks, finance companies, mortgage companies, and retail stores. Bills that you have paid after the due date or loans on which you have defaulted will show up here.

Public records—tax liens, judgements, bankruptcies, or other matters of public record that could influence whether or not you are extended credit.

Inquires—lists of the authorized parties who have received your credit report. Inquiries also include the companies that receive your name and address information for the purpose of offering you credit.

How to correct a Mistake on Your Credit Report

If the information on your credit report is wrong, you should contact the issuing credit bureau at the address listed on the report. The credit bureau will investigate your claim, finishing within 30 days. If their investigation proves your are right, the disputed information will be removed from your credit report. If the investigation does not resolve the dispute, you can have a statement of explanation, prepared by you, added to your file.

Costs for a Credit Report

Each person is entitled to one free credit report from each credit bureau a year. Also, if you’ve been denied credit, employment, insurance, or rental housing within the last 60 days based on your credit report, you’re entitled to a free report. For a free report, contact the credit bureau in writing or by phone.

Otherwise, the cost of a credit report for Kentucky residents is either $9.50 or $10 depending on the credit bureau. If you order a joint credit report (e.g. husband and wife) the cost is $19 or $20.

Prepared by Dr. Suzanne Badenhop, updated February 2006.

 

FAMILY LIFE
EXERCISE AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
familylife@take-a-moment.com

It's no secret that exercise builds healthy bodies. But now there's more than a little evidence that aerobic exercise -- such as swimming, jogging and brisk walking -- can strengthen our emotional well-being and tone our mental capabilities.

Any good aerobic exercise routine, carried out a minimum of three times a week for about 30 minutes each session, may help build emotional hardiness by:

  • Energizing

  • Relieving tension and anxiety

  • Strengthening the body's stress-coping mechanism

  • Counteracting hostile, Type A behavior

  • Clearing the mind and improving concentration and memory

  • Encouraging a more positive self-image

  • Contributing to feelings of exhilaration and physical well-being

  • Improving sleep

  • Alleviating depression

Source: Sam Quick

 

NUTRITION & WHAT'S COOKING
START YOUR DAY WITH BREAKFAST
whatscooking@take-a-moment.com

Do you have trouble eating breakfast? Maybe you never seem to have enough time in the morning. Or you may be one of those people who just is not hungry at the start of the day. Well, maybe it’s time to reconsider whether or not you are a “breakfast eater.” There are plenty of reasons why eating breakfast is a good idea. And, there are endless possibilities to help you have an affordable, healthy, convenient, tasty breakfast.

Breakfast eaters, compared to those who skip breakfast, tend to weigh less. Eating breakfast may help you control calorie intake throughout the day. It may also help you maintain a more steady level of energy, so you can avoid that afternoon slump. So, if eating breakfast can help you control your weight and give you more energy throughout the day maybe it’s worth a little extra effort. People who eat breakfast tend to have healthier diets with more vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Even if you are not hungry in the morning, eating a balanced breakfast can get your day off to a good start. Some people find they are less hungry before lunch and have a better morning if they include some protein at breakfast from milk, egg, cheese, peanut butter or plant protein like a soy cereal. Having a breakfast that includes fiber also helps you stay full longer. Try oatmeal or cereal bars with at least 3 grams of fiber in each serving.

If you need to grab breakfast to go in a hurry, you will need to plan ahead to avoid the morning rush. Fresh fruit, cereal bars, hard boiled eggs, a cheese sandwich or even leftover pizza can be eaten for breakfast. You can make your own breakfast wraps or muffins at home to eat on the go. Yogurt and smoothies can be purchased in to go containers or you can make your own servings to put in a travel container. For young people, the school breakfast program can make having breakfast an easy-to-do bargain. School food service cafeterias offer a high-quality breakfast for minimal cost. And you won’t have to do the dishes or any clean-up.

The most important thing about breakfast is to eat it! With a little planning you can make breakfast an easy part of your day. Give it a try for a week to see if you feel better.

 

HOME TIPS
CLEANING TO MANAGE ALLERGENS

hometips@take-a-moment.com

Bedroom
Dust mites in the bedroom are the number-one problem for those with allergies and asthma.

  • Wash sheets and pillows weekly.

  • Launder blankets, comforters and mattress pads at least four times a year.

  • Encase pillows, comforters and mattresses in allergen-impermeable covers to reduce exposure to dust mites.

Mildew
It's easy to spot mold and mildew in tile grout and on shower curtains, but they can also hide under sinks, around window frames and sills, and where the tub or shower meets the floor.

  • Clean these surfaces with an appropriate cleaner that kills mold and mildew. For shower stalls, bathtubs and painted or aluminum surfaces, use a tub and tile cleaner or nonabrasive, all-purpose cleaner. For unpainted wood surfaces, use a wood cleaner.

  • Disinfect using a disinfectant or antibacterial disinfectant cleaner that kills mold and mildew. Re-use as directed by product's label to prevent mildew's return. Note that a disinfectant product must be in contact with a surface from 30 seconds to 10 minutes to work properly.

Vacuum
Carpets are home to generations of dust mites, vacuum regularly to reduce allergens.

  • Use an upright vacuum or a canister style with a power nozzle. They pick up two to six times as much dust from a rug as canisters without a power nozzle.

  • Vacuum carpets at least once a week ‚ more if you have a pet or if it's allergy season.

  • If possible, have a non-allergic person do the vacuuming. Otherwise, wear a dust mask; wear swimming goggles if eye allergies are a problem.

  • Launder washable rugs weekly.

Food
Food and water invite cockroaches, cockroach remains and droppings are allergens. Don't let dishes pile up in the sink or on the countertop. Clean up food spills, crumbs and liquids right way. Use a nonabrasive, all-purpose cleaner to remove food and grease from stovetops and other appliances.

 

WAYS TO WELLNESS
JUNE IS DAIRY MONTH

wellness@take-a-moment.com

Take-a-moment to celebrate June Dairy Month with a tall glass of ice cold milk. Milk or milk products should be an important part of your food intake each day. Milk contains calcium, an important mineral that each of us need to help make our bones as strong as possible. How do we build up the calcium in our bones? Make sure you get at least three servings of milk every day (and milk products like cheese and yogurt) to get enough calcium. Add some weight bearing exercise such as walking to also help build and strengthen your bones.

Six easy ways to add more calcium ---

  1. Enjoy milk with meals or as a snack.
  2. Add cheese to your sandwich for great taste and extra calcium.
  3. Top a baked potato with cheese.
  4. Sprinkle cheese on your salad bar creation or add a scoop of cottage cheese.
  5. Enjoy a carton of yogurt at breakfast, lunch, or as a quick snack.
  6. Have a scoop of frozen yogurt or pudding for dessert.

 

IN THE WORK PLACE
WORK SATISFACTION
workplace@take-a-moment.com

Isn’t it interesting that the most poplar time to have a heart attack is 9 o’clock on Monday morning?

Work dissatisfaction stresses you and increases your risk of illness. On the other hand, when you love what you do, you have more stamina and stay healthier.

Even if you thoroughly enjoy your work, some soul-searching can help you maintain or improve your on-the-job fulfillment. With a notebook in hand, find time to ponder questions such as: Should I consider another type of work? Do I need to manage my time better, adopt a new outlook, or become more creative? Should I regularly schedule quiet time to gain perspective and recharge my batteries? Do I want to give more quality time and energy to my family and friends?

Focus on the task at hand and express the creativity and energy you have inside. Do even little things in an extraordinary way. Whether your current pace is fast or slow, work from an anchor of inner calmness. Do your best today without worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. As you intelligently serve others, your own satisfaction will flourish.

 


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Good Living!
From: the Agents of the Louisville Area Cooperative Extension Service


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