Heavy vs Healthy food choices in America

Most of the people get flabby when they move from asian countries to America. The main reason is the change of food and lifestyle. Looking at these charts side by side you will get and idea which fits your life better. For growing kids, we need to include cholesterol in their diet because the new cells being formed everyday need it. Women need iron rich food and diabetic prone individuals need to watch the carbohydrates and sugars. These are the main concerns of people now-a-days who became nutrition and health conscious. Here is something for you from my research bank.

Personally, I do not prefer frozen and pre-made food as they contain lots of preservatives which eventually cause health complications. You must be wondering, where in world people get time to prepare fresh and healthy food everyday. Yes, it is hard but not impossible. Eating overnight soaked almonds, sprouts, dry fruits and fresh fruit should not be time consuming I guess. Finally, the choice is yours- healthy or heavy.

You could add more to this list and check the nutrition facts on this website: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-pancakes-plain-dry-mix-complete-i18290

:|? Flip and cook OR eat half-cooked???? Choice is yours

Heavy Food choices	Serving	Grade	Calories	Protein	Cholesterol mg	Iron%	What's Bad
Pancakes, butte& maple syrup	2	B-	520	8.3	58	0.15	Not healthy
Toast with 5 cheese	1	C-	150	5	5	0.06	Not healthy
Peanut butter-jelly sandwich	1	B	343	9.8	1	~7.5	High iron
Pizza	1 slice	B	140	7.7	9	0.03	Causes constipation
Half-cooked omelette	2 oz	B-	~60	1.4	217	0.05	High cholesterol, Sometimes carries pathogens
Morning breakfast beef/sausage/veggie	1 patty	B+	81	9.8	1	11	Harmful preservatives
Glazed donut	1	C-	180	3	17	4	High sugar
Waffles Nutri grain whole-wheat	1 patty	B	170	4	0	20
Drinks
Orange Juice Tropicana	10 oz	B-	140	2	0	0	Harmful preservatives
Classic Coke	8 oz	C-	97	0	0	0	Deteriorates bones
Coffee (Cream n sugar)	10 oz	C-	120	1	20	0	Interferes DNA repair
Cold milk (whole)	1cup	B+	150	8	35	35mg	Causes mucus formation

Healthy Food choices	Serving	Grade	Calories	Protein	Cholesterol mg	Iron%	What's good
Boiled egg	1whole	B	53	4	144	~5	Good for kids
Cereal Whole Wheat Hot Natural	1 cup	A-	150	4.8	0	8	High in fiber
Lentil Sprouts raw	1 cup	A-	82	6.9	0	14	Fiber and nutrient rich
Cream of wheat	1 cup	A-	149	4.4	0	66	Rich in Iron
Cornmeal	4 tbspn	B+	250	0	6	10	Light and healthy
Fruits- Apple	1 med	A	95	0.5	0	1	Purifies gut, blood and increases appetite
Mixed Dried fruit	1 oz	A	70	1	Varies	4	Rich in protein and probiotic
Protein shake packets	2 tbspn	A	110	15	Depends on milk	35	Iron & protein rich
Drinks
Warm milk	1cup	B+	150	8	35	35mg	Reduced mucus formation
Fresh orange juice	1 glass	A-	114	1.8	0	0	Helps iron absorption, increases immunity

Homemade Herbal Bleaching mask

 Recently, I heard about this herbal bleach on a show on Indian channel and thought it would be helpful for some of us.

This is for oily skin people, to help treat pimples, for people who desire lighter skin color, if you had sun tan and want your lighter skin color back sooner -then try this.

Fullers Earth Powder - 1 lb,(Starwest Botanicals) $8.27

1. Sterilize 30 grams or 6 teaspoons Fullers Earth powder (Multani mitti)
    by frying for 10 minutes on low flame
2. Let it cool down to room temperature before you add the below ingredients
3. Add 1 pinch of baking soda
4. Milk 30 mLs
5. Rose water 5 mLs(1 teaspoon)
6. Honey 5 mLs
7. Mix well till it looks like smooth paste
8. Wet your face first with water
9. Apply thin layer of the paste like mask
10. Leave it on for 15-30 minutes
11. Wipe off with wet cotton swab.

Castor oil cleansing for glowing face

(A guest article by Rajitha)

Everybody wants beautiful, blemish free, acne free, blackhead free, glowing face. After some years I came to US, due to climate change and also hormonal changes, I started getting pimples and dark spots on my face. I tried this oil massaging with natural and inexpensive ingredients available at home which I would like to share with you.
All you need are:

Castor oil and little olive oil\sunflower oil

Hot running water

Clean wash cloth

You may be surprised with the fact that, how come I am using oil to remove oil. Well, the fact is that oil dissolves oil. Castor oil dissolves  and removes oily dirt from your clogged micro pores in the skin. Thus, leaves your skin smooth & clear.

Why I choose Castor oil over so many other oils is because it is anti-inflammatory, has healing properties, & cleansing properties. As castor oil is thick and it will not easily penetrate into the pores, we need a secondary oil to dilute castor oil.

Steps:

1. Take a 2 teaspoons of castor + 2 teaspoons of secondary oil mixture in your palm. You can straight away start this cleansing over your make-up, no need to wash your face prior to this. Rub the oil mixture on your face and neck with slow and firm motions.
2. Soak the wash cloth in the hot water, wring it and lay it over your face.This will open the pores on your face.
3. Once the wash cloth is dry, wipe off the face.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 couple of times.
5. If your skin feels tight, take a little amount of oil mixture and pat onto your damp skin. Make sure to massage the left over oil into your skin so that there is no film of oil left.

Precautions:
You could be allergic to castor oil so it is better to test 24 hours before you apply on face. Test on your arm first.
Too much of castor oil may make your skin dry and tight. So, you have to find  right combination of castor oil and secondary oil that suits you.
I would suggest you to apply this weekly or as your skin demands.

Have a happy glowing skin!

Some unique ideas for part time jobs

(A guest article by Rajitha)

1. Catering
2. Child care in summer holidays
3. Pick up & drop off

Catering or supply of regular food:  Some of us eat to live, and some eat for pleasure because we enjoy food. Being a homemaker, I made myself zero to hero in cooking because I wanted to set an example to my daughter. That is my long story short that also gave me an idea, wondering what idea? Now I'll come to the point, while making yourself and people around you happy with your culinary skills, you can earn some money. I have seen that  some working couples and bachelors don’t find time for cooking but they like to eat tasty food. So, here you go,You can cater to them and earn money.

Child care in summer holidays:  Well, with the ongoing recession, there are many families who want to cut costs. Among them is the summer camp which is very expensive. So you could take care of couple of kids at your home with your own kids.

Pick up & Drop off:  There are many people who need pickup and drop off  service like non-drivers, no car, or due to ill-health. Some instances:
Housewives who do not maintain a second car,
People not in a situation to drive, like senior citizens,
People who need ride to doctor's office, airport, or grocery
People whose driver license might have been revoked or cancelled.
If you have a car and you can drive then giving a ride to those people can turn out to be the most smart choice to earn some extra income.

Significant facts about bank accounts in USA

It is easy to open an account and save money but there are certain things you need to know about keeping your money safe. Be prepared for those unexpected situations. When you open any bank account don't forget to add a beneficiary or POD. Otherwise the money will be remitted to the state  upon death of an account owner. Though the account owner has a family and heirs they have no right to inherit the money if they are not added as beneficiaries. Recently, learn't first hand information from my bank and here it is for you.
 If you are living in America, it is very easy to open a bank account. All you need is two IDs-they are a driver's license, and a passport\Social security number\student ID\\debit card\check card from another bank. Some banks, like Suntrust, allow you to open a checking account without a minimum balance.

Why should you add a beneficiary when you open a bank account?
Beneficiary is a person who is eligible to receive all the money in the account upon the death of the owner. Beneficiary can access your account if given rights and can check the balance and the transactions. Beneficiary can deposit the checks in the account. Having a beneficiary added to the bank account makes it easy in case any unfortunate incident occurs like expiry of the account owner. In such case the beneficiary has to submit the death certificate and will be able to withdraw money. This simple step saves the family all the hassle.

What is POD?
Payable on death(POD)  is a person who would receive the balance in the account upon demise of the account owner. But he would never know anything about your finances or transactions. Person in POD will be notified in case of death of an account holder and will be gifted with all the balance as stated in your POD application. "Payable on Death bank accounts are often called the “poor man’s trust” because they accomplish the same goals as a lawyer-drawn trust, but for free".

Read more about PayOnDeath account.

POD pros & cons.

What if you haven't added a beneficiary but you have a will?

$19.99

If you have a will then money will be distributed according to the court ruling. The heir should first go to the court in the state you lived and get the 'court order' that states he\she is eligible to receive the balance amount. In order to draw the money, the heir needs to submit 3 documents of proof to the bank, they are- the court order, the will, and the death certificate.
  

What is an inactive account and what happens to it?

If you do not deposit, withdraw, or do any ATM transactions for 1 year then that account will be considered inactive by your bank. After 1 year of inactivity the bank encodes the account as 'dormant'. (The time period varies from bank to bank). All the money from the dormant account will be remitted to the state. That means, none of your descendants will be able to enjoy your money and it will  be given away to the state government in USA. This happens just because we were not careful about our own hard earned money.

What if, you neither have a beneficiary\POD nor a Will?
In such case, an heir cannot provide a proof that he inherits the property.The inactivity on the account leads the bank to mark the account as dormant. All the hard-earned money from the dormant account goes to the state government in which the account was created initially.

Learn to create your new American dream

Dormant account: States like Alabama, DC and Maryland will wait for 3 years only after the account has been marked dormant. Later, the money will be remitted to the state. Whereas, all the other states wait for 5 years to take money from an unclaimed account. Interest is not paid on dormant accounts and a non-refundable monthly dormant fee will be charged for the maintenance of the account.

Golden advice: "Add beneficiary or POD on all your bank accounts. Safe your assets immediately by preparing a will and a trust".
Find helpful links to prepare will and trust in my previous post Will and Trust.



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The above information varies from state to state and also depends on your bank. Contact your bank and read your state laws for applicable rules and restrictions.

I dedicate this post to my friend Geetha. In my first year in US, she gave tips that one needs to live wisely in US. 

Will and Trust

www.suzeorman.com

Differences between 'will' and 'trust'

1. A will is a legal document that enlists all your wishes. 
2. For those wishes to be practically implemented the heirs have to go through probate(legal process). 
3. A will is less expensive than trust.
4. A will can become a public record.

1. A trust is also a lengthier legal document prepared by an individual or a group.
2. An heir need not go through probate(legal process).
3. A trust is more expensive.
4. A trust is private and cannot become public record.

Read in detail about the differences between a will and a trust.

Helpful links for preparing a Will:

1. Suze Orman's Protection portfolio kit $59.16 + shipping: This is my favorite choice  because when I called the customer support he gave me some awesome information: Using one kit 25 new accounts can be created. It means one person can buy it and let many of his\her friends use it. The account holder can change 'the will' and 'the trust' numerous times, without any further cost and right from the  home.
2. Online Wills and Trust: From 'legalzoom.com' you can order on-line will in 3 easy steps and receive  your will in 2 days. For will only: Basic service costs $69 + $2 shipping. For Trust: Cost $269 + $14 shipping

My favorite financial advice shows:

Clark Howard - TV and Radio shows

Suze Orman -  financial guru's TV and Radio shows

I dedicate this post to my high school friend Savvy.

Cooking tips

Onion keeper- to save unused half

Save your tears when cutting onions: Storing onions in the fridge will help you avoid crying while cutting onions and also keeps them fresh for long.
Half onion: Place the half onion in an air tight box  and save in fridge for later use. 

Cilantro\coriander, curry leaves, and parsley: Cut the stem bases, wrap lower end in a paper towel, place in a ziploc bag  and save in fridge for keeping it fresh for many days.

Preventing pantry pests: Drop bay leaves, cloves or dry red chillies in grocery storage containers in your pantry. This prevents many types of bugs and pests.

Green bags keep vegetables fresh

Fast and easy to extract tamarind pulp; Microwave makes cooking easy. In order to extract good amount of tamarind pulp easily, without microwaving, we have to soak the fruit for 1-2 hours. Where as if we microwave then the waiting time shrinks to few minutes.

Tamarind pulp tastes sour and I use it in place of lemon juice. It makes the food taste delicious by adding a special flavor.

Tamarind fruit will be available in oriental and Indian grocery stores. Ready made tamarind paste is loaded with preservatives and doesn't taste as good as freshly made one.

Tamarind pulp from fruit

1. Microwave tamarind and water for 3 mnts

2. Strain tamarind water or pulp

Simple steps to extract fresh tamarind pulp:

1. Take  golf ball size of tamarind fruit in a cereal bowl and add 1 cup of water.
2. Microwave on high power for 2-3 minutes
3. Let it cool for few minutes and then extract pulp

• For thick pulp extract by squeezing with your fingers and strain using a colander. 
• If you want tamarind water then you could add 1 more cup of water to make it cold faster,  squeeze 5-10 times and strain into a separate bowl.

Save the unused tamarind pulp or water in freezer for later use.

Save onions in fridge: Saving onions in the fridge will help you avoid crying while cutting onions. 

Homemade Herbal Facial

When people migrate to a different country, usually skin type changes. My skin changed from oily to dry when I came to US from India. This is very common because of change in weather and climate. Here is one of the savior that helped me adapt- a homemade facial that my mom taught me. I have been using this homemade facial since childhood. I use this as a body wash and facial scrub.

Ingredients: Turmeric, Gram Flour, Olive oil

Ingredients: Available in Indian grocery stores

Turmeric powder -1 teaspoon

Gram Flour(Besan) - 4 teaspoons

Olive oil - 1 teaspoon

Homemade Natural Facial paste

Water - 6-8 ounces

Recipe:

Easy to prepare homemade natural facial for you:

1. Take a cereal bowl and mix turmeric in olive oil 
2. Add Gram Flour to it and add 6 ounces of water 
3. Stir for 3 minutes or till all the ingredients mix well
4. Apply it on face\ body.
5. Keep it for 1 minute and shower

Test it on your elbow before using it on face or body. Some people might be allergic to turmeric powder.

Clean and Green

Rain-washing mats and waste bins is a super green idea. Wondering what is a rain-wash? Just pour some baking soda or detergent on door mats, car mats, trash cans and leave them in the the rain. Free falling water cleans them for you.  Isn't this a cool idea. But make sure that it is not windy otherwise you will find all the cans flew away when you go to collect your stuff.

Clean n green to save earth

Wondering why green: When I came to US, I was overwhelmed by the amount of cleaning I had to do. So, first thing I did to help myself was to shop things that made cleaning easy. In the process, I stuffed my laundry room shelves with tons of cleaning products. In fact, it seemed common because every friend I visited had similar storage. On top of it, we used to discuss, who uses more powerful and faster cleaning product. As if we are racing to demolish the world ASAP, Jeez. After spending money for years on those environmentally nasty and expensive products, I found cheaper greener reagents which are equally good. They are salt, vinegar, lemon, baking soda, washing soda, turmeric, rubbing alcohol, detergent, non chlorine bleach, steam, etc.

 I am a biologist working  in laboratory for the last 10 years. In labs, it is mandatory to keep germ free environment by sterilizing and disinfecting. I am so glad to share my professional knowledge that I use in my daily life with added hype word "green". Actually, I am a nature lover. I rather call myself environment friendly. Green is cheaper so why not save some money and save earth too. 

Safety first: Use long cuffed gloves before coming in contact with any cleaning chemicals.                       

Veggie Wash: Vegetables and fruits are coated with food-grade wax and pesticides. Wax is applied on the produce to lock moist inside and look fresh. Veggie Wash is made from natural ingredients like fruit extracts and lemon juice. Rinse with Veggie Wash to remove all the dirt and wax, and to kill germs. 

Rinse meat with turmeric and salt

Turmeric: Turmeric powder is a herbal antispetic available in Indian grocery stores. Use turmeric to rinse meat, fish and prawns. Sprinkle turmeric and salt in a colander with meat and rinse 4-5 times. Simple, isn't it.

Lemon:
Rinse veggies and meat in lemon juice.
To get rid of the garlic or onion odor, you can simply rub 2 drops of lemon juice on your palms.
Squeezed lemon can be used to clean the garbage disposal.

Baking soda: It is a very good replacement for bleach and also removes all the bad odors. Soak greasy dishes in water and sprinkle baking soda. Leave for couple of hours and then rinse. It works like magic.

Inside fridge: Wet sponge or table cloth with diluted baking soda and wipe the surface.
Carpet cleaning: Spray talcum powder or baking soda half- hour before vacuuming.

Dirty kitchen cloth: Soak in baking soda and wash .

Mixture: Mix vinegar, baking soda and salt in a ziploc bag and tie it to shower head and leave it overnight. Helps to get rid of all the gunk and deposits. Watch this movie for clear instructions.

Non-Chlorine bleach

Detergent: It is needed to kill Salmonella on cutting board, sink and utensils that came in contact with  meat. Other green reagents do not kill Salmonella.

Non-chlorine bleach(NC): Green replacement for chlorine bleach (clorox). NC bleach is safer for the environment but not an effective disinfectant. Oxyclean, Clorox-2, Biokleen, etc., are the non-chlorine bleaches that contain Hydrogen Peroxide as an oxidizing agent. Though Hydrogen Peroxide sounds like a chemical it is quite harmful because it easily dissociates into oxygen and water. It can be used to remove  mold and mildew in shower.

Dilute Bleach: Bleach has chlorine which is not safe for enviroment. I found that bleach is the only quick solution for mold near the kitchen sink and shower. Chlorine is not only effective on bacteria but also on virus, fungi, mold, algae and calcium deposits. Hence, I use it sparingly and use diluted form as much as possible.

Shower: Every time after using shower, dry with squeegee, turn on light and fan\exhaust for 15 minutes. This inhibits the mold formation in wet areas.

Squeege

Hard to clean things: We get sick not because there was any nook and corner that we left for those germs to attack us but because people around us left them free. When we come in contact with those infectious areas, we get sick and in turn spread germs in our mattress, computer mouse, keyboard, cell phones, key chain etc. It is hard to disinfect these areas, here are some easy solutions for you.

Rubbing Alcohol\ Isopropyl Alcohol

Rubbing Alcohol: This is the best cleanser for all the electronic equipment because it disinfects and evaporates. Concentrated rubbing alcohol can be used to clean the cell phone, keyboard, mouse and outer surfaces of the monitor. Be careful though, because alcohol is highly inflammable. 

Alcohol perforates the bacterial membrane and denatures(lose structure) the proteins inside. Proteins required for the existence of bacteria no longer function causing them to die.

Diluted alcohol

70% diluted alcohol: It can be used to wipe the coffee table, glass parts of the furniture, painted metal furniture, toys, key chains, inside of car (wheel, dashboard, doors), pens, and pencils. Preparation: Mix one part water and two parts rubbing alcohol and save in a spray bottle. Diluted alcohol is better than concentrated alcohol because it can penetrate into bacteria better and hence more effective. Alcohol dehydrates the skin, so wear gloves before touching alcohol. Do you know that GermX has 60% ethanol which is nothing but Ethyl Alcohol.

Microfiber cloth

Microfiber cloth: Cleans without chemicals with dense loop-and-rib weave that grabs dirt and locks it deep inside. I use it for dusting laptop, keyboard, monitor, TV screen, music system, etc.,                                                                                                                                                      

UV sterilizer  $60.79

UV sterilizers: UV light kills germs by breaking the bonds in the DNA molecules. It is the most easy and quick way to sterilize the hard to clean things like beds, toys, pillows, etc. There is no liquid chemical involved or left over residue to worry about. Be aware that exposure to UV light causes cancer in human. Keep the UV light away from skin, pets and mainly save your eyes by wearing safety goggles.

Steam vacuuming: Temperature of steam is 100 degrees celcius which is capable of destroying the germs instantly. In laboratories the utensils and media (bacteria food) are sterilized using autoclaves that use steam under pressure for killing any form of life. Steam has the power to penetrate. So, very useful in cleaning bathroom tiles, grout, floors, windows, cracks, drapes, and walls.

Boiled water: All moms know quite well that milk bottles, nipples and feeding spoons should be sterilized at least once in a week in hot boiling water.

Rain wash trash cans & mats

Rain water: I bet rain-washing car is another good idea. You go green.                                            

Natural air fresheners:

Homemade: Vinegar, water, essential oil (Ex: Lavender oil).

1.Take a spray bottle and add vinegar to quarter of the bottle and fill the rest with water. Mix well and spray. Vinegar will not mask the odors but it will absorb and neutralize the bad odors.

2. In a spray bottle add 3 teaspoons of essential oil and fill rest with water. Oils do not dissolve in water so you have to make an extra effort to shake well before use.

Grow indoor plants: But they need regular maintenance to keep the bugs off.

Sandal wood: You can keep the sandal wood as is or buy some sculptures or decorations made of it to make room smell fresh.

Incense sticks: Buy the reliable ones as many of them are made of harmful chemicals.

Natural air: Open the windows and let fresh breeze replace the stale air. There are more pollutants inside the air tight houses than outside. Let the sunlight sterilize your house with natural UV light.

Do you know the name of this plant?

Sandal wood stick

Indoor plant: Mother of millions

White vinegar

Granular Drain Cleaner $23.18

Clogged drain: Use enzyme drain cleaner like Drain Eze which breaks down sludge and grease with the help of enzymes and harmless bacteria. It does not harm pipes or environment. Commercial drain cleaners contain acid or lye. 
If needed use plunger, snake or electric snake. 
To prevent clog use metal sieve (available in Lowe's or Home Depot).

Wood: For countertops, cabinet doors, and varnished furniture use few drops of lemon oil in a glass of water. Use microfiber dampened with solution to wipe first and then dry thoroughly.

Toothpaste: Brush silver and gold ornaments or decorations with toothpaste.
Wash cloth: Use wash cloth instead of paper towel or wipes. Reusing is the best way to go green.

Leather sofa\interior: Use linseed oil to clean. To shine leather, use organic wood polish or olive oil.

Steel Scrubber $1.50

Scrub made of Agave plant fiber

Scrubs: For those hard gunky kitchen utensils I use steel scrubber scrub or Scotch Brite scrubs.

 Green vs Harmful products: All those promising commercial cleaning products which promise to be fast and easy are enticing. But, they do not reveal how harmful they are to the environment. I fell for those commercials and ended up filling my stock room which I never used because I decided to go green. I wasted money but I am glad that I haven't poisoned the environment. The chemicals go down the drain and mix with organic compounds and release volatile organic compounds that are harmful to living beings. Many of them were identified to be cancer causing toxins. What goes around comes around. If we neglect today then tomorrow these nasty chemicals come after us.

I would like to dedicate this post to my friend Jyothsna and thank her for helping me in editing this post.

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References: 
Fruits and vegetables have been coated with food-grade vegetable, petroleum, beeswax, and/or lac-resin based wax or resin to maintain freshness… No fruits or vegetables have been coated with animal-based wax”. 
Lyme disease, Pubmed Health. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002296/

Pseudomembranous colitis, Pubmed Health. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001305/ 

Why wash vegetables and fruits. http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=322317
 UV sterilizer wand, http://www.gaiam.com/product/cleanwave+uv-c+sanitizing+wand.do

MRSA and CRKP - Superbugs. http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/antibiotic-superbugs-crkp-mrsa-risk

Madi, http://en.allexperts.com/q/Hindus-946/f/Hindu-Meal-2.htm

Miracle cloth, http://www.solutions.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1361&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C4%2C110%2C111&iProductID=1361
 Clean car and interior,  http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1694800/green_ways_to_clean_your_car_inside.html?cat=27Drain cleaners, http://www.care2.com/greenliving/clearing-clogged-drains.html#, http://www.procheminc.com/product_details.asp?ID=99&cat=2

Best website for clean and green, http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm