Mrs. Cranky's Blog

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

The Cranky Yankee February Newsletter

Thanks to my web host's going out of business and only giving me a few hour's notice, I've had to re-create some of my pages, move my lists to a new autoresponder (which is still in process) and a few other chores. Between that and bountiful overtime at work, the January newsletter never got written. I'm still scheduled for 6 nights a week, but after 20 nights in a row, I did get last night off. Yesterday Mr. Cranky went to see his pulmonologist--it was the prednisone for his breathing that increased his insulin resistance and made him a diabetic. His pulmonologist had him admitted to the hospital and I don't know when I'll get him back. At least, so far, it looks like I will get him back. But enough of my news--here's your February letter. If you haven't gotten a confirmation email about your subscription, please go to the website and resubmit your information so you don't miss anything. I'm manually sending this letter through my Yahoo account to make sure I don't miss anyone, and it will be posted on Mrs. Cranky's Blog: (http://mrscrankysblog.blogspot.com)

Calcium and Magnesium
With all the calcium enrichment in processed foods these days, some studies are warning that we are getting too much and that this overdose is increasing the incidence of arthritis. Getting enough magnesium to balance the calcium seems to do the trick. Does your calcium supplement include magnesium?
Many health care professionals don’t see the need for supplements of vitamins and minerals, but it is possible to become deficient in these building blocks for the human body when we are under the stress of illness, pregnancy or aging. Children can often eat junk foods to excess and miss out on their daily nutritional requirements. The unborn child makes heavy nutritional demands on the mother, while those in the older age bracket often find their stomach doesn’t absorb nutrients like it should.

Adolescents and young adults often have stress of an emotional kind with school exams and late hours for whatever reason. Mothers of young children rarely have a moment to call their own so their bodies are under constant stress and often they have to cope with sleep deprivation too. Sometimes we can go for years feeling overtired or with other minor problems without realizing that they could be alleviated by the addition of certain dietary supplements
Cramps in the lower limbs, restless leg syndrome and sleeplessness are all eased by the addition of calcium and magnesium to the diet. Magnesium is more easily absorbed by the body in the form of dolomite, or with the addition of calcium. People who are too busy to eat properly, nursing or pregnant mothers and children who refuse milk and are picky eaters should all take calcium supplements. Children need lots of calcium to build strong bones and teeth that will serve them faithfully for the rest of their lives.

Calcium taken by the older age group will help to prevent osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become brittle and honeycombed. Fractures and broken bones in old age take so long to heal that the unfortunate victim sometimes never recovers fully from the results of a fall. It makes sense to prevent the problem rather than wait until it happens, to do something about it. Why not have a bone density scan to see if you are at risk of osteoporosis?

Magnesium helps to support a strong immune system and maintains normal muscle and nerve function. It is also known to be involved in every metabolism and protein synthesis and is needed for over three hundred biochemical reactions in the body, so it is very important.

One of the benefits of magnesium is its muscle relaxing properties. The heart is a muscle and high blood pressure is often caused by the heart not relaxing sufficiently on its outward (diastolic) beat. There is increasing interest in the role magnesium can play in managing hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

If irritable bowel syndrome is the problem, a magnesium supplement will help to reduce the cramping of the intestine by relaxing it. Add a little peppermint oil in a chelated capsule to aid in the removal of painful flatulence and gas build-up and the two main symptoms of this disease are disposed of or reduced significantly.

If you are taking prescription medication, always consult your health care professional before taking supplements.

What's the biggest organ of the body? Your skin! A few winter care tips:
1. The skin on your hands is thinner than in other areas of your body, and it needs extra protection and care. Make sure that after washing your hands you dry thoroughly and use a good hand cream. Wearing gloves outdoors will also protect them and keep your skin soft.

2. Elbows, knees, and feet are completely covered in the winter months, and usually forgotten until spring. Clothing and boots can cause friction that creates a buildup of thick skin. A good scrubbing with a natural lofah sponge, followed by a rich cream will remove any problems here.

3. Sun protection is very important in the winter months, just as it is year-round. Many people forget to use sunscreen, but sun reflects off snow and ice, and you can actually get double the sun exposure.

4. Protect your lips with a good lip balm, and avoid licking your lips as much as possible, since that will cause your lips to crack and chap. If you get a bad case of chapped or cracked lips, use some Vaseline Intensive care before bed, and you should be good to go in the morning.

5. Winter winds and low humidity are also hard on your hair, and using a rich, deep hair conditioner is important to restore moisture to your hair.

6. One way to keep your skin in great shape is getting a massage. You don't have to go to a specialist for this: just get out your favorite massage oil and ask a family member to give you a quick massage. Then relax and enjoy the experience and the benefits.
Here are some of the best natural beauty ingredients available for winter skin and hair care:


Baking Soda - can be used as a deodorant, bath powder, or tooth whitener. Mixed with water, it helps remove residues from hairstyling products, making your hair clean and shiny.

Beans - Finely ground until powder-like, beans make a great cleanser for your face and body: just add the powdered beans to your favorite cleanser and massage into damp skin. Dry beans are rich in protein, potassium and iron, all good ingredients for healthy skin.

Citrus Fruit - contains citric acid, which kills bacteria on the skin. Also, the fresh scent is a known energizer. Rinse your hair with lemon juice mixed with water when you hair is dull and tired.

Maple Syrup - can be used as a facial mask, or hair conditioner, and it's one of the best natural moisturizers. For best results, make sure you look for syrup marked 100% pure.

Tea Tree Oil - this oil has very powerful antibacterial and antiviral qualities, and it's easily absorbed by the skin.

February Recipe
Chicken and Cheese One-Pot Dinner
Tools: 12 inch skillet with a cover, sharp knife, wooden or plastic spoon, measuring cups.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized chunks
2 large carrots, sliced crosswise into bite-sized pieces
1 medium zucchini, sliced like the carrots
2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium if needed)
8 medium green onions, sliced like the carrots and squash
2 cups shredded sharp reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and swish it around to coat the bottom of the pan. Add chicken and stir-fry it until it's no longer pink (about 4-5 minutes). Remove the chicken and set it aside in a clean bowl.
2. Add carrots and zucchini to the pan and stir-fry about 4-5 minutes until they are crisp-tender. Add chicken and soy sauce and mix well so the sauce coats everything.
3. Sprinkle onions and cheese on top. Cover the pan for a minute or two until the cheese melts.
Any other low-fat cheese can be used. You can also substitute any fresh vegetables that you like, and even use this basic recipe for leftover meats--beef or pork roast, turkey--the combinations are only limited by your imagination.

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Cranky Yankee and Mrs. Cranky
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