Special note on Onions!!!

Very Important Subject....especially for those who love to cook and eat ONIONS!!!!!!

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died. The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he di d find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in AZ. She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work.. (And no, she is not in the onion business.)
The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu. If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case..Whatever, what have you to lose? Just a few bucks on onions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now there is a P. S. to this for I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this most interesting experience about onions:

Weldon, thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmers story...but, I do know that I contacted pneumonia and needless to say I was very ill...I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put one end on a fork and then place the forked end into an empty jar...placing the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs...sure enough it happened just like that...the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

This is the other note.

LEFT OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS

I have used an onion which has been left in the fridge, and sometimes I don't use a whole one at one time, so save the other half for later..

Now with this info, I have changed my mind....will buy smaller onions in the future.

I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, Makers of mayonnaise. Mullins is huge, and is owned by 11 brothers and sisters in the Mullins family. My friend, Jeanne, is the CEO.

Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.

The guy who gave us our tour is named Ed. He's one of the brothers Ed is a chemistry expert and is involved in developing most of the sauce formula. He's even developed sauce formula for McDonald's.

Keep in mind that Ed is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise. People are always worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you. Ed said that all commercially- made Mayo is completely safe.

"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated. No harm in refrigerating it, but it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at a point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then talked about the quaint essential picnic, with the bowl of potato salad sitting on the table and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone gets sick.

Ed says that when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as it's not homemade Mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the onions, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES.

He explained, onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion.. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!)

Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad, will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down..

So, how's that for news? Take it for what you will. I (the author) am going to be very careful about my onions from now on. For some reason, I see a lot of credibility coming from a chemist and a company that produces millions of pounds of mayonnaise e very year.'

Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions .Please remember it is dangerous to cut onions and try to use it to cook the next day ,it becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates Toxic bacteria which may cause Adverse Stomach infections because of excess Bile secretions and even Food poisoning.

Note from Lucy: I am a big onion freak... I love to cook with onions and I have been reading about the benefits of eating onions.. When a friend of mine sent me this email a while back I started buying smaller onions or just using the whole onion in whatever I cooked... Please don't stop using onions, just follow these few rules when dealing with raw onions...

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving..... Enjoy you week!

A Simple But Effective Way to Help Safeguard Your Privacy

As America's economy continues to collapse, identity theft is soaring.
Yet stealing your identity can be as simple as going through your trash. And that, in itself, is not even illegal. Courts have ruled that trash is no longer private property once it's set out in the street or placed in a dumpster.

Don't make the mistake of casually tossing in the trash sensitive documents such as tax records or statements from credit card companies, banks, insurance companies, or utility companies. Anything with your address or any other identifying information printed on it should be regarded as sensitive.

Using a single discarded piece of mail as "proof of address," any low-life could potentially obtain a library card and check out books in your name (with overdue notices and fines being mailed back to you). Problems with the local library, though, would be the least of your worries. A single piece of "trash" could conceivably be the key that enables a con artist to turn your life upside down.

Shred What You Don't Want Read
There is a simple way to prevent important documents from being used as weapons of mass financial destruction. Shred them. A personal paper shredder is inexpensive and easy to operate. And it can give you the peace of mind of knowing that sensitive documents have been destroyed.

When buying a shredder, opt for one with cross-cut capabilities. Traditional shredders that merely cut papers into a few vertical strips may still leave you vulnerable. A persistent crook, spy, or law-enforcement agent could piece documents back together. Even two or three strips of paper put together could provide an individual with important information. A cross-cut shredder essentially turns every document into hundreds of tiny confetti-like squares of paper that no one would even attempt to piece back together.

Get The Right Kind Of Shredder
A quality shredder is cheap (many are less than $80) relative to the protection it can provide against nosy neighbors, stealthy snoops, "curious" garbage collectors, vindictive ex-spouses, and other potential prying eyes, including random, unemployed garbage can rummagers searching for anything they can use or sell (their numbers continue to grow in this sinking economy).

This is basic stuff, but very few people have a shredder! Don't be one of them. Note from Lucy: Years ago someone tried to open an account in my daughters name... I learned that it is important not to throw things in the trash that anyone could read.... I started cutting my name and address off of envelopes and I would tear up papers that looked important to me. How many times do you get those checks in the mail from your credit card company, trying to encourage you to spend more? Now, I use a pair of scissors that have five blades to shred papers that I don't want read... I have gone as far as to empty the cat sand on top of a lot of papers in the garbage to discourage someone from peeping... Fingers crossed: So far my identity has been safe...Please don't take your identity for granted.. Have a great week everyone.

Keeping Produce Fresh

by Leanne Ely, CNC
Don't let it spoil before you taste it

One place you can really get nailed on is buying fresh produce. Produce will only keep so long so you absolutely have to have a plan to use it up. If all you do is buy it and let it sit in your fridge, you might as well start flushing five-dollar bills down the toilet!

But still the question remains, how do you keep your produce fresh? That's a great question and the answer varies according to what you have. Let's tackle the most common fruits and veggies, shall we?

First up, some things you need to know. There is a certain chemical compound called ethylene that is released as produce ripens. This ripening action builds up in a closed plastic bag so the gas makes your food break down quicker. What I do is keep the bags open to avoid that too quick ripening factor. If you take it out of the bags, it will dry out so opening the bag really helps to preserve it. Check the packaging you bought your produce in. Often times, these bags have little holes in them to allow the ethylene to release without drying out.

Secondly, there are things that should be refrigerated and there are others that should not. Here is a list of stuff to store in your pantry:

- Onions
- Potatoes
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Hard winter squashes
- Sweet potatoes

Keeping these guys away from the light will help prolong their shelf life and stop your potatoes and onions from sprouting.

Here is a list of stuff to stick in the fridge:

- Apples
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Melons (unless you're trying to ripen up on the countertop)
- Corn
- Berries (don't wash until ready to use)
- Grapes
- Peas
- Any citrus
- Artichokes
- Asparagus (cut the ends off and place them in a glass of water, plastic over the top)
- Lettuces
- Spinach
- Eggplant
- Cucumbers
- Mushrooms
- Peppers
- Leeks
- Greens
- Cauliflower and broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Beets
- Any fresh herbs
- Radishes
- Green onions or scallions
- Zucchini and summer squash
- Turnips
- Green beans
- Celery

The thinner the skin on the fruit or vegetable, the sooner it needs to be used.

Here is a list of stuff that can start on your counter then can go into the fridge if necessary, but you need to be aware that it can get too cold and end up somewhat bruised or ruined by the fridge:

- Avocados
- Bananas
- Tomatoes
- Peaches
- Papaya
- Apricots
- Plums
- Pineapple
- Pears
- Nectarines
- Mangos
- Kiwi

There you go with everything you wanted to know about keeping produce but were afraid to ask! This simple guide should help you start storing and using your produce wisely without the spoilage. Enjoy!

Have a great week everyone!

Twenty reasons why vitamin D is better than a swine flu vaccine

Twenty reasons why vitamin D is better than a swine flu vaccine

I have made the personal decision not to take the swine flu vaccine because it has too many unknowns... Instead I am working to keep my immune system in top form... Here is a great article on how to do just that with Vit. D. Check it out... Have a great weekend everyone!