Have you seen the news yet about the proposed new food labeling that the FDA is working on requiring? The labels on the back of our food packaging (listing serving size, calories, fats, etc.) have been in place as status quo for over 20 years. The proposed face lift will hopefully help consumers make increasingly healthy/educated decisions in the grocery store by highlighting the positives and negatives in the foods they choose.
The FDA is putting up two different proposed labels for the food community to contemplate and critique over the next 90 days. Once any final decisions are made all food manufacturers will have to implement the new labels within the next 2 years.
So what would be so different? Well here’s a sort of checklist of updates:
-Serving sizes will be realistic! That can of iced tea that is supposed to be 2.5 servings will now be reflected as one serving.
-Calorie counts will be in larger, more prominent prints
-All grams of sugar (no matter the form) will be shown as one total
-Calories from Fat will be removed and fat break downs (saturated, trans, etc) will remain
-Vitamins that we’re commonly deficient in (vitamin D, potassium, etc) will be shown over others.
Here are the proposed changes next to the current. Do you think it will ultimately help? It will definitely be easy to read/understand, but do you that the information ultimately changes individual food choices?
I am always looking for fun ideas and activities that are super simple to share…and this one made me squeal a little bit. Okay, maybe it's just my generation, but when I happened upon a “Flubber” recipe that I could make in less than 10 minutes, I got down-right giddy! Here’s a fun idea to maybe try this weekend if we end up stuck inside again. (Or you can always take it outside, too, if it gets nice enough out!)
So you need to set this up in two parts. The first is in one bowl combine and mix the following well; 2 cups of Elmer’s glue, ¼ cup of warm water, and food coloring of your choice.
In a second bowl, combine and mix well; 3 teaspoons of Borax and 1 cup of warm water.
Next, pour your first mixture into the second…and that’s it. It’s supposed to do all of the rest of the work itself. Once it forms a big glob with just a little bit of water on top pour the extra water off, and then knead if for a minute or two. That’s it! You can enjoy your flubber fun and store it in an airtight container when you’re done to save for another day!
(Image source)
I just read an article on the dangers that can be associated with a less invasive hysterectomy technique and thought that it was important to share. Although there are pros and cons with all important decisions in life, it’s still necessary to know the dangers that you can face either way.
At least 11% of the 500,000 hysterectomies performed every year are now done through a tiny incision in the belly button. This cuts the healing time down drastically, from 4 to 6 weeks to 5 days. For this less-intrusive surgery, surgeons use a Morcellation technique, literally pulverizing the uterus (or growths) to be able to remove the tissue through the small incision.
Although this surgery is a miracle for most women who need the procedure done, for small percentage of others it can become a fatal decision. How the surgery is currently performed, the morcellation also pulverizes any cancerous growths and cells that may be in the area and allows them to spread throughout the abdomen.
This is what happened to Amy Reed, a Boston doctor who had a laparoscopic hysterectomy to end bleeding from fibroids (benign growths on her uterus). She had tested negative for cancer before the procedure, but the form that was residing in her uterus was rare and didn’t appear on the tests. The morcellation spread the cancer throughout her body and she now has stage 4 cancer, with an 85% chance of death within the next 5 years. About 1 in every 400 surgeries have had a similar outcome.
Now, the point of the article and public awareness wasn’t to turn women away from this form of surgery. The real point is that the medical field can remove this risk by changing their techniques. A surgical bag can be put in place, at the start of the surgery, so that all of the cells pulverized in the morcellation process stay restricted within it, which is then removed through the incision in the belly button.
The reason why there’s any hesitation in this small technique alteration is that the hospital staff then needs more training and the procedure then becomes more costly. Amy Reed and her husband have created Change.org petition demanding that hospitals stop their current process until a better method can be implemented.
Although we're not all always feeling it (some years more than others >.>), it is February 14, and there's no denying that love is in the air! There are fresh roses everywhere, bright pinks and reds adorn all of the seasonal displays/decorations in schools, homes, stores...everywhere! It's hard to not feel at least a little festive. Whether you're a Valentine's Day person or not, here's a little seasonal "Aw" that will put a smile on the most hesitant of faces. :-D (And trust me, before I found these cuties I was "hesitant" to say the least!)
The cuteness if overwhelming! (Image by Natasha Beccaria Photography)
((Swoon!))
(Images by Christina Kneer Photograph)
So sweet I can't even handle it!
(Images by Alexis Hardy Photography)
This Little Man is already a Romeo!
(Image by Amanda Saldarelli Photography)
And no Valentine's Day is complete without Candy AND Roses!!
(Images by Katie Burnett Photography)
So I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for fun and easy recipe ideas… emphasis on the easy. I want to show off my culinary “skills” without actually needing to have too many of them. My mother is impressed when I make a meatloaf and my sister is impressed when I boil water… but sometimes you need to show off a little more skill than that when you have company. I found these beautiful and super simple, mini cherry heart pies and thought that they would be perfect for this Valentine’s Day! You can try them for a simple something sweet, too!
All you need to get started are:
-a box of store bought pie crusts
-1 can cherry pie filling
-1 beaten egg white
-red or pink decorating sugar (if desired)
-a heart cookie cutter
-a little flour for dusting
-a parchment paper lines cookie sheet
Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees. Dust your counter with flour and then unroll your pie crusts. Cut out as many hearts as you can out of the two crusts (keep an even number). Place half of your hearts on your parchment lined cookie sheet, spoon some of your filling in the middle (keeping about ½ inch away from edges to prevent overflow), and place a remaining heart on top of each. Crimp your edges with a fork (making sure that they’re tightly sealed). Brush egg wash over the top of each and spring with red or pink sugar if desired. Pop in the oven for 15 to 17 minutes (until they are lightly golden brown) and you’re done!
In the difficult times that we’re still living in, one very important responsibility that falls on a parent’s shoulders is the need to help their children learn the importance of money and creating smart spending habits. I know that it sounds very heavy and that your little ones may still be small, but it’s never too early to start building a foundation for a good knowledge base. Whether it’s putting those found pennies away in a piggy bank or taking their birthday money to the bank, we all need to start somewhere. Here are a couple simple tips for building a smart money sense in your child/children.
Start by giving your child/children the ability to earn money/allowance, and then give them the independence to decide how to save and spend that money. At first they will definitely spend above and beyond their means, but as they start to realize that they want a little more to get items more important to them you'll be able to go over saving and putting away for later. It’s also never too soon to start discussing the benefits of putting at least part of their money away towards important expenses, such as a car, a trip, or college.
Have your little one get more involved with your wise money spending decisions right from the jump. Once they've started understanding the concepts of dollars and cents, hand them your wad of coupons. Allow them to help you find the brand that’s on sale, and make sure that it’s still your best buy (over the store brand, for example).
Next, try to help your children understand that everyone needs to compromise when it comes to spending and that even you don't get everything you want (when it comes to purchases). Show how you're making sacrifices for the sake of saving, and then how those sacrifices give you more money to spend at a later date (like with the money saved from the coupons above).
Let your children help you with the budgeting, planning and big decisions when it pertains to them. If you son or daughter has a big birthday coming up (10, 14, etc.) start your planning early and give them a budget and say. If they want to have a “party place” birthday let them explore the pricing and what’s included for different locations. Let them compare and contrast what they would get that way versus a party at home or going to the movies. They'll feel more involved and experience first-hand why you would choose one investment over another.
Okay, I’m officially dreaming of spring. I'm a winter person at heart. I love the snow. I love scarfs, gloves, and warm wool coats, but even I am officially done. I’m looking forward to the snow going away permanently and being able to head back outside for more than 10 minutes at a time. Because of this, I'm already looking ahead to fun, springtime projects (or, more appropriately, springtime antics). If you are too, here’s a fun and simple bubble solution that we can make on the first warm day. Heck, if you're so inclined, you can make it now and bubble away indoors to keep the little ones entertained until they can escape. After all, can you really make your house dirty with soap? I just don't suggest blowing bubbles on tile, linoleum, or hardwood floors. I won't be held accountable for the slipping and sliding!
All you need are:
4 cups distilled water
1 cup dish soap of choice
½ cup glycerin or light corn syrup
Combine your ingredients in a jar or container, and then shake them up good! Allow the mixture 24 hours or so to settle, and then your bubbly mixture is ready to go!
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