10 New Uses for Ziploc Bags !

10 New Uses for Ziploc Bags 

In 1963 a unique bag with a plastic zipper seal was introduced at a packaging trade show. Most recently, the seal's strength was demonstrated at a Riverton, Wyoming, school, where eighth-grade students discovered an uneaten sandwich in a Ziploc bag at the bottom of a locker. It had been there for months. Students were so impressed with the bag's ability to seal in the odor (and mold growth) that they actually sent a thank-you letter (along with the sandwich) to the manufacturer, SC Johnson. In a letter back to the students, H. Fisk Johnson, the company chairman, called the locker "one of the toughest product test sites we've ever discovered." Good thing Mom didn't use wax paper. 

Use Ziploc Bags to: 

1. Knead dough. Place dough in a Ziploc bag so your fingers don't get sticky. Or slip your hand into the bag and wear it like a glove. 

2. Store panty hose. Nude, Tan, Nearly Naked - they look the same out of the package. Tear off the corner of the package listing the brand, size, and color, then slip it into a bag. Store each pair in its own bag to keep

hose organized and prevent snags. 

3. Remove chewing gum or candle wax from a tablecloth, a couch, or carpeting. Gently rub gum or wax with a Ziploc bag filled with ice cubes until the substance hardens. Shatter gum with a blunt object, then vacuum up the chips. Carefully peel off frozen wax with a plastic spatula. 

4. Pipe frosting. Snip off a tiny corner to use a Ziploc as a pastry bag. 

5. Store homemade soup. Fill up bags, then lay them flat in the freezer. When the bags of soup freeze flat, you'll be able to pile them up like stacked books for easy, space-saving storage. 

6. Protect precious cargo. No bubble wrap? Slip a straw into the top of a nearly closed Ziploc bag and inflate. Remove the straw and seal to make a cushion. (Heirlooms, however, should wait for that bubble

wrap.) 

7. Break up graham crackers or vanilla wafers to make a pie crust. Fill a bag with the cookies, then roll a rolling pin over it.

8. Prevent a handbag from turning into a snow globe. Store pressed powder and other compacts in Ziploc bags. 

9. Gather herbs from the garden. Before winter frost sets in, wash, pat dry, and freeze the herbs in Ziploc bags. 

10. Ice an injury. Fill a bag with ice cubes to create a cold compress.

What to Eat Before a Workout - Part 2

Carefully assess protein bars
When squeezing a workout into a busy schedule, you may like the convenience of protein or "sports" bars. Make sure you choose carefully; according to Kroll, most bars are "glorified candy bars, often providing even more calories." To find the better ones, Bell-Wilson suggests choosing a bar that has about 200 calories, up to 5 grams of protein and 25 grams of carbohydrates. "If you find a bar that you really like, but it's high in calories, just eat half of it," says Bell-Wilson. "Save the other half for after your workout."

Don't eat more than you burn
You just finish a heart-pumping, hour-long workout. You take a quick shower and then pass the gym's café on the way out. Watch out for those healthy-looking snacks. One smoothie or even a sports drink can replace all the calories you just burned, and then some. "It's important to realize that just because you worked out doesn't give you free rein in the kitchen," says Bell-Wilson. "The reward is that you went and you did it." If you exercise for an hour or less, your best bet is to grab a bottle of water and eat at your next scheduled meal. "If it lasts longer, plan to have a snack in your locker or on your way home," says Bell-Wilson.

5 pre-workout snack ideas

1. Half a chicken, turkey or lean roast beef sandwich on whole-wheat bread
2. Low-fat yogurt with a sliced banana
3. Low-fat string cheese and 6 whole-grain crackers
4. Hard-boiled eggs, yolks removed and replaced with hummus
5. Skim milk blended with frozen fruit to make a smoothie

5 post-workout replenishing meal ideas

1. One or two poached eggs on whole-wheat toast
2. Bean burrito: a whole-wheat tortilla filled with black beans, salsa and reduced-fat cheese
3. Stir-fried chicken and vegetables (try pepper, zucchini and carrot) over brown rice
4. Whole-wheat pasta tossed with chicken, broccoli and eggplant
5. Whole-grain cereal or oatmeal, with milk and fruit (such as a sliced banana)


Source : Weight Watchers



Concluded

What to Eat Before a Workout - Part 1

What to Eat Before a Workout


Just as you'd fill up your car's gas tank before a road trip, it's vitally important to make sure your body has the right fuel to sustain you during a workout.

Proper nutrition, both before and after, will also "speed up recovery, protect you from fatigue and get you ready for the next workout," says Jenna A. Bell-Wilson, PhD, RD, LD, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics.

So, what should you eat before going for a bike ride or heading to the gym? Use these guidelines and snack ideas to keep your engine running optimally.

Balance carbs with protein
"A relatively high-carbohydrate, moderate protein, low-fat meal is best to consume before exercise," says Suzette Kroll, a registered dietitian and senior staff member of the Canyon Ranch Spa in Tucson, AZ. People often underestimate the importance of the carb part of the equation when fueling up for exercise, especially strength training, says Bell-Wilson. "They assume it's all about protein. Protein is important for muscle building and repair, but in order to lift those weights you need carbohydrates for energy," she says. Choose carbs that are easily digestible and avoid high-fat foods — or large quantities of any food — just before working out because they don't digest well during exercise.

Time it right
"Whether you're strength training or going on a run, you want to make sure you have something within four hours before the workout and then a smaller snack in the hour before," says Bell-Wilson. If you know your workout is only going to last 45 minutes, keep the snack small, she says. "If it's going to last 2 hours, then you're going to want to beef up that pre-exercise meal."

To Be Continued....

Eleven Great Ways to Reduce Stress - Part 4

9. Spiritual healing : 

Prayers and the act of helping others are very important components for happiness and stress reduction.
You will feel calmer and have a sense of inner peace.


10. Talking through your problems : 

Talking about your feelings acts as a releasing mechanism and you will soon find that talking about your problems with your partner or best friend may help the solution to the problem come to light and will help to release blocked emotions.


11. Multivitamins :

I take a Vitamin B complex regularly to decrease stress and this has been a great help in my stress reduction.


I hope that you find these suggestions helpful, my hope in sharing this information with you is that you can benefit from it.


Reading about this is not enough to reduce stress, you must take action.

Concluded

Eleven Great Ways to Reduce Stress - Part 3

6. Breathing techniques :
Yoga, meditation and Tai Chi all use deep breathing techniques.
To meditate, simply sit with closed eyes and concentrate on your breathing.
Breathing deeply regularly is great for health and from there, you can learn various other breathing techniques to gain enhanced benefits.


7. Relaxation techniques and self hypnotherapy : 
We can easily do this after the hot bath to relax even more, simply sit or lie down in a comfortable place with your eyes closed, imagine there is a spot light above your head and concentrate on it, then concentrate on your body part by part and try to relax the body and feel the relaxation deepening -- you can also use a self hypnotherapy audio tape to help in this process.


8. Massage : 
This is a great way to reduce stress, I do this when other ways fail, I feel better after receiving a massage.
You can get a professional massage or you can simply ask your partner to massage you.

To Be Continued ....

Eleven Great Ways to Reduce Stress - Part 2

3. Take hot baths regularly : After a very busy day or when we feel that we need to relax, you can take a hot bath by sitting in warm to hot water and the water level should be above the waist, using lavender oil can also enhance this relaxing experience.


4. Aromatherapy : in the office you can use aromatherapy to relax and avoid stress.
One of the best ways is to use lavender oil on a source of heat and take in the scent; this is a great way to relax during the day when you need it the most.


5. Exercise : This is one of the important things you can do which will reduce stress and bring happiness.
When we exercise, our brains release substances which bring feelings of happiness and relaxation; we need engage in some exercise regularly such as walking, dancing or swimming.

To Be Continued....

 

Eleven Great Ways to Reduce Stress - Part 1

Stress is a big challenge in life nowadays.
The sources of stress are many and the helpful ways to reduce stress are also plentiful.
Common symptoms of stress include skin problems, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, fatigue, insomnia and frustration.

We don't need to set a time to reduce stress, we need to incorporate some strategies in our daily life routine to prevent stress and reduce its effect on the body.

Here are 11 simple steps we can easily take to reduce stress:

1. Define your goals : we must define our life goals and begin to achieve these goals; this action will support us against stress because we will feel that we know what our life purpose is and why, and that we control our own lives.

2. Take control of your diet : we can use simple ways in our diet plans to reduce stress by avoiding some stimulants such as coffee, alcohol, tea and sugar and we can use chamomile tea as an alternative because of its calming and relaxing effect.
We need to eat slowly in a calm environment to allow our digestive system to work well.
We can use honey as an alternative to sugar but in small amounts (one or two spoonfuls per day).

To be continued .....