take a moment
 Volume 6
November 2006Important Reminder: Many users and ISPs are adding SPAM filters to their computers or servers. If you already have one, or will shortly be implementing a SPAM filter please remember to configure the filter to ALLOW email from take-a-moment.com domain, or you will not be able to receive your newsletter. 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.) Email subscribers@take-a-moment.com and request the PLAIN TEXT VERSION of the newsletter. Did You Know...?
C O N T E N T S
STAIN REMOVAL -White
-Other Color
*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.
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,
FINANCIAL FITNESS There are several reasons to pay off your mortgage as soon as possible. When homeowners look at the truth-in-lending statement they receive at the closing, they see that over the life of their 15- or 30- year mortgage, they will pay twice as much or more in interest on their home. Paying off the mortgage early saves a homeowner thousands of dollars in interest payments. This can be accomplished by applying extra income to the mortgage principal as often as possible. Some mortgages offer a biweekly payment schedule which results in one extra mortgage payment a year. This plan reduces the life of a 30- year mortgage by 7½ years. Once your mortgage is paid, you have more disposable income each month to invest for future needs. In an age of job instability, having a home that is paid for gives the homeowner more peace of mind if he or she ends up losing his or her job. It is also a good idea to buy less home than you can afford to ensure that you have good cash flow to make those extra mortgage payments. Source: Suzanne Badenhop, Extension Specialist for Management and Family Economics, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture
FAMILY LIFE The holiday season is a time when family love, harmony, and togetherness are fostered by songs, advertisements, and the media. While this may come true for some families, the holidays can also be a period of increased family stress. The increased pressures families experience during this time of the year are demonstrated by research that finds increased family violence during the holiday period. Families experience stress whenever they undergo change. During the holiday season many of the routines families develop are disrupted. Children are home from school. Grandparents and other relatives may be coming to visit or the family may be traveling to visit them. Many special events and activities are planned. Adjusting to these changes can produce stress. Other factors may also contribute to the stress. This is a time of increased financial burden for the family. Christmas presents and other seasonal gifts can take a giant toll on the family's resources. If the family cannot afford to buy the gifts it desires, the awareness of its financial shortcomings can cause tremendous stress. The holiday season presents a yearly opportunity for the family to see how it compares to neighbors and friends in terms of financial resources. Idealized images of family harmony are found everywhere during the holidays. Television specials and commercials show the whole family gathered around the tree singing carols. A family with ongoing conflict may see this in sharp contrast to its own situation. Family members can take a number of steps to cope with the stress associated with the holidays. The first thing to do is try to avoid what stress researchers call "stressor pile-up." Stressor pile-up occurs when a family experiences a number of different events that disrupt family routines within a limited period of time. If your family is going to a child's holiday program on Saturday morning and the grandparents are scheduled to arrive from Florida on Sunday, think twice before inviting the families of two co-workers to your home for dinner Saturday night. While it might be nice to see the people during the holidays, both you and your friends may enjoy an evening together more in late January when everyone's schedules are less hectic. Research has found that families in which roles are interchangeable in regards to child-care, homemaking, recreation, and many other activities are best equipped to cope with stress. This means that when events are hectic and the baby needs to be changed or dinner needs to go in the oven, whoever is available will perform the tasks regardless of traditional expectations of whose role it is to do them. While it is sometimes hard to do in our materialistic society, people need to remind themselves that the true value of the holidays is not measured in terms of how much money is spent or how many gifts are received. People also need to have realistic expectations about what the holidays will be like. Just because your family's holidays are not perfect like those portrayed in the media doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your family. Prepared by Gary Hansen, Ph.D., Extension Specialist in Sociology
NUTRITION & WHAT'S COOKING Eating fruits and vegetables has many health advantages. For the most part, people assume that there are few food safety issues when dealing with fruits and vegetables. Lately, there have been several cases where fresh produce has been contaminated with germs. So what can we do as consumers to prevent becoming a victim?
Organic fruit and vegetables are just as likely to be infected with germs as standard produce. Proper handling, including washing and peeling can reduce the amount of pesticides on produce. Organic produce also needs to be handled with care to reduce the risk of food-borne illness from these germs. Before eating or preparing, wash all fresh produce under running water to remove any lingering dirt. This reduces bacteria that may be present. When preparing fruits and vegetables, cut away any damaged or bruised areas because bacteria that cause illness can thrive in those places. Immediately refrigerate any fresh-cut items such as salad or fruit for best quality and food safety.
HOME TIPS When making candy and syrups, this holiday season, be careful with your glass cooktop or glass top range. Spills on a glass cooktop that are high in sugar content such as candy, syrups, and jellies, can cause permanent damage to your cooktop if not cleaned up immediately. The high sugar content spills can cause permanent pitting to the surface of the glass cook top. Plastics and aluminum foil can cause pitting, also. If you have a spill, turn all surface units off and remove the hot pans. Protect your hands from being burned with a hot pad or oven mitt and use a single edge razor blade, held at a slant, to scrape the spill to a cool area of the cook top. Wipe up the spill with a paper towel. Clean the surface thoroughly as soon as it is cool to touch. Do not use the soiled area until the spillover has been removed. If the spill is left, not only is it difficult to clean, but there is no way to repair the pitted surface of the cooktop. Most range manufacturers put a caution statement in the use and care manual warning owners of this potential damage. References: Use and Care manuals for several range manufacturers including GE and Fisher/Paykel.
WAYS TO WELLNESS The holidays can be a time of great joy, but they can also be a time when people feel overwhelmed. The holiday season can be a time of stress, depression, and loneliness for many people. Some people are overwhelmed with the business of family gatherings, gift buying, and guests, while others are facing the holidays alone away from family. There are several simple things you can do to make the holiday season more relaxing, meaningful, and stress-free for you and your family. Understand what makes the holiday season special for you and focus on those things. Spend some time before you begin making your holiday preparations thinking about what make the holidays special for you. This will make it easier for you to prioritize what is really important. Maintain your normal routine as much as possible. If you have regular exercise, sleeping, or eating patterns, try to stick to these as much as possible to avoid disrupting your body's natural rhythms. Practice good communication with family and friends. Address your concerns directly with your family or friends in a gentle, but honest, manner. Encourage them to be open with you as well. Work together to find a solution that is satisfactory to everyone. Finally, take time to care for yourself. Consider this the most valuable gift you can give yourself. Eat well, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and take "time out" to enjoy things that you love. References: Knoblock-Fedders, L. (2002). Stress Reducing Tips for the Holidays.
KIDS KORNER Nourishing a sick child may be a challenge. Loss of appetite typically accompanies fever and the aches and pains of feeling bad. The flu or a bad cold may make a child less active, requiring fewer calories. But fever increases the heart rate and breathing, causing caloric needs to increase. For short illnesses, the best plan is to make sure your child drinks plenty of liquids. If a child rejects food for a day don't panic. But if she rejects all liquids as well, call your pediatrician. Infants shouldn't go any longer than 8 to10 hours without liquid before calling a pediatrician. Signs of dehydration include: diminished urine flow; darkened urine; fewer tears when crying; lethargy; a parched, dry mouth; or in infants, a sunken soft spot on top of the head. To prevent dehydration, infants under age 1 need at least 1 to 2 ounces of fluid per hour; kids over 1 need at least 3 to 4 ounces of fluid per hour. Your doctor may recommend a commercial oral re-hydration solution. If a child is vomiting or has diarrhea, he or she will need more fluids to replace what has been lost. Don't force-feed a child if he or she temporarily loses interest in food. Instead, offer small frequent snacks. Simple solids, such as bananas, applesauce, crackers, dry toast, and flavored gelatin, tend to be well accepted. Unsweetened cereals and their favorite fruit or vegetable may also be good choices. Once your child shows signs of recovery, slowly begin solid foods and other liquids. Resource: American Academy of Pediatrics, Treating Diarrhea and Dehydration, 2000.
IN THE WORK PLACE At home or work, dealing with stress is difficult. For the next two or three months this section of the newsletter will list suggestions that may help you plan how to manage the stressors in your life.
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