Because we are all so very busy at this time of year, here are some suggested foods that help give you more energy throughout the day.  High sugar foods only give you an immediate boost of energy and then leave you with less energy in the long run.

You can fight fatigue with every bite you eat. These foods are easily digested and rich in nutrients that are necessary to helping your body convert food into energy.

Oatmeal

Breakfast is an important way to start your day because it replenishes your energy reserves.  Use the old fashioned oatmeal as it will give you more fiber.  For added and longer lasting energy sprinkle flaxseed or nuts on top.

A lot of doctors and nutritionists encourage their diabetic patients to eat oatmeal because it helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
Oatmeal is very good for supporting your digestive health.

Oatmeal helps you feel full longer because of the high dietary fiber content, because of this it will help you keep from over eating throughout the day.

Oatmeal is a good source of thiamin (B1), magnesium, phosphorus, and protein. These three nutrients affect your energy levels and so oatmeal is ideal for fighting fatigue.

Seeds and Nuts

Seeds and nuts are foods that are high-quality protein and contain the healthy omega-3 fats.

Seeds and nuts are good sources of vitamins B1, B2, B5, and B6; copper; iron; magnesium; manganese; phosphorus; riboflavin; and tryptophan — all of these nutrients are utilized in the production of energy.

Raw seeds and nut have the best nutritional value, so stay away from the roasted, salted if you can.

It is best to eat some all throughout the day. So buy them in quantity and package them in single serving baggies to be able to take
with you: in your briefcase, your purse, your car, your desk, your gym bag, your backpack, etc.  A small handful is a 1 to 2 ounce serving.

Experts suggest that we combine carbohydrates and proteins together to get the immediate energy from the carbohydrates and the long lasting gradual energy from the proteins.

So when you make up your baggies add some of the following possibilities: raisins; cranberries; dried fruits; carob chocolate;  or  butterscotch, chocolate, mint, or peanut butter chips.  If you want a little salty then you could add sesame sticks.

Yogurt

Yogurt is actually really good for you as it has protein and probiotics. As it comes in so many flavors and with added fruits it is an easy and quick source of energy.  Because it is soft your body can process it quickly and give more rapid energy. With the combination of carbohydrates and protein it will stay in the stomach longer to give you the all day energy you want.

Yogurt is so creamy and flavorful it can seem like a dessert disguised as a health food. But the truth is, it’s really good for you, thanks to a power play of protein and gut-healthy probiotics. Probiotics are a great digestive aid, as they help maintain a healthy digestive system.

You can eat yogurt at just about any time: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. You can use it in place of salad dressing; or sour cream; instead of milk over cereal.

Beans and Peas

Beans and peas are a rich source of slow-burning energy because of their nutritional makeup.  Beans and peas are high in fiber, low in fat, low in sugars, but they do have an even amount of carbohydrates and protein.  They have a large range of essential minerals such as: copper; iron; magnesium; manganese; phosphorus; potassium; thiamin (B1); and soybeans have tryptophan.

Because of the high fiber and protein they help to balance your blood sugars and prevent the highs and lows in your energy.  The iron helps your immune system and makes you less susceptible to fatigue in all its forms. The fiber is also great for your digestive system by promoting regular bowel movements, helping to prevent constipation and weight gain.

Try to incorporate beans or peas into your daily meal planning.  Some suggestions: Breakfast –burritos with refried beans or soy substitutes; Lunch – three-bean salad, bean soup or pea soup; Dinner – use soy based meat substitutes in your casseroles, or to make burgers.  (We like to use the soy substitute products from Augason Farms in Utah – www.augasonfarms.com.  They have Beef, Chicken and Taco Flavors that we like, but they have other things also.)

These four foods are relatively easy to work into your daily meals or snacks. So enjoy this holiday season and have more energy.

Cleaning Supplies

These type products regularly are on the lists of worst household offenders.  Some of the toxic chemicals that are contained in cleaning supplies are: ammonia, bleach, and chlorine.

Ammonia is a strong irritant that has been linked to liver and kidney damage.   Bleach is a powerful oxidizer, which can burn the skin and eyes.  Chlorine can also burn the skin and
eyes.  Oven cleaners contain chemical which can cause burns and emit toxic fumes that harm the respiratory system.

You can choose non-toxic, natural cleaners to help protect your family from these toxic cleaners.

Bon Ami or Barkeepers Friend are safe replacements for Ajax or Comet.  You can mix vinegar & water (50-50 mix) for a great spray cleaner.  Or mix baking soda & water to make a
paste type cleaner. Rubbing Alcohol (1/2 cup, water (2 1/2-2 3/4 ups) & white vinegar (1 tablespoon) makes a great window, glass or mirror cleaner.

There are also brands that you can find on your store shelves if you are not into making your own, they are Method and Seventh Generation products.

Antibacterial Products

The Center for Disease Control says that antibacterials may interfere with immune system development in children.
Triclosan—the most common antibacterial additive found in more than 100 household products ranging from soaps and toothpaste to children’s toys and even undergarments—accumulates in the body. In a study conducted by the Environmental Working Group, 97 percent of breast feeding mothers had triclosan in their milk, and 75 percent had trace amounts of the chemical in their urine.

Because antibacterial products are being used more and more they have contributed to “super-bugs” which seem to be antibiotic-resistant.

Soap and water is really all you need to clean most things, and “clean, but not germ-free” is better, as they say that people who are exposed to regular household germs are usually
healthier and they develop stronger immune systems.

Eco-friendly cleansers and hand washers are available in your supermarkets.

Air fresheners

Air Fresheners are incredibly toxic and can aggravate respiratory problems like asthma.  Some also contain phthalates, chemicals that cause hormonal abnormalities, reproductive problems and birth defects.

You could just boil a pot of water on the stove with a few drops of your favorite essential oil, or use an essential oil burner.    Or you could simmer cinnamon & cloves to give your home a nice scent, and also, let in fresh air by leaving a few windows open a small amount.

Chemical Insecticides and Herbicides

Because these products are made to kill ants, roaches, wasps, mosquitoes, and other pests, you can pretty well be sure that many of them contain chemicals or ingredients that could also harm humans or our pets.  “And cypermethrin, one of the active ingredients in the popular ant and roach-killer Raid, is a known eye, skin and respiratory irritant and has negative effects on the central nervous system.  The active ingredient in Round-Up—a weed-killer popular with gardeners—is known to cause kidney damage and reproductive harm in mice.

But do not despair, there are natural alternatives. A natural insecticide from ground chrysanthemum flowers that controls ants, flies, fleas, lice, gnats, mosquitoes, spiders, and deer
ticks, among other pests is made by Buhach.   Boric acid is an effective, natural solution for cockroaches as well; sprinkle it around baseboards, cracks and other places likely to harbor roaches.  You can make your own Ant Killer with boric acid (1 teaspoon), sugar (10 teaspoons), and water (2 cups).

For getting rid of weeds try spraying them with your regular white vinegar.   Otherwise try a product by E. B. Stone — Weed-N-Grass.

Plastic Shopping Bags

In our great country, 98% of plastic bags wind up in the landfills, or blowing around the countryside.  So, yes we Americans only recycle about 2% of our plastic bags.

The City of San Francisco spends over 8 million dollars a year on plastic bag litter, and they have recently banned plastic shopping bags, according to Californians
Against Waste.

Plastics are forever, just like diamonds.  The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”, is a giant mass of plastic twice the size of Texas that’s floating 1,000 miles off the western coast of the United States.

We can use reusable cloth bags to decrease our plastic bags usage.  Use your own reusable cloth bags when you go shopping. So, keep them near your door so that you will remember them on your way to the store, or keep them in your car.

Yes, if you read the mile markers you will notice that the mile posts go from 104 on the South side of the overpass to 109 on the North side of the overpass, the distance between these two mile markers is less than a half mile.   Sooooo, it must be five miles long, right????

Coming from the South, the mile post on the right side of the road, just before you reach the traffic light for Kuehn Street and US95 reads Mile 104.  This is just before your start over the US95 / I-10 overpass .  Then when you cross over the overpass just after you have crested the overpass, on the left hand side of the road, just before you get to the traffic light, the mile post reads Mile 109.

How can this happen you say?
Well, it took me a short while to figure it out also.

Evidently the mile marker on the South side of the overpass is for US95.  The mile marker on the North side of the overpass is for AZ95 which I believe starts at the top of the
overpass.

So another mystery in Quartzsite Arizona has been solved.