April 17, 2010
Its A Fishy Story
Spring is here, hooray! The weather is warming up and we can even start to eat outside. To me spring is a time to enjoy seafood. Ok, I know we can eat fish and seafood anytime but I somehow enjoy it more around springtime, don’t ask me why. It just seems like seafood season to me. So, with that in mind, I thought that I would write about fish, that is, which fish to eat and which to avoid due to the levels of mercury in the fish. Also, the * indicates over-fished species, so it would be better not eat them and eat sustainable fish instead. Thus, we can be healthy and environmental friendly at the same time! 
In all the information I went through, these pieces of advice were prominent:
- Pregnant and breast-feeding women or those who are trying to become pregnant should limit how much tuna they eat. Canned tuna usually has less mercury, so limit the amount to around two medium cans or one fresh steak per week.
- Pregnant women and children up to the age of 16 should avoid swordfish, shark and marlin as they have the highest amounts of mercury.
- Other people can eat the above three fish, but small amounts – around one portion a week.
- Adjust portion sizes to suit younger children.
The following list comprises the mercury content of some fish; for a wider variety of fish and more information on the subject visit www.food.gov.uk and http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp
- Over fished *: These are either over fished or caught in a way that is environmentally unfriendly.
- ** Farmed Salmon may contain PCB’s, which in the long-term can be bad for your health.
- A dolphin on a of a can of tuna indicates it was caught without harming dolphins.
| OW MERCURY
Enjoy these fish! |
MODERATE
Eat 6 servings or less per month |
HIGH
Eat 3 servings or less per month: |
HIGHEST
Avoid eating: |
| Anchovies | Bass (Striped, Black) | Grouper* | Mackerel (King) |
| Clam | Carp | Mackerel (Spanish, Gulf) | Marlin* |
| Cockles | Cod (Alaskan)* | Orange Roughy | Roughy* |
| Cod (UK) | Halibut (Atlantic)* | Sea Bass (Chilean)* | Shark* |
| Crab | Halibut (Pacific) | Tuna (Canned Albacore) | Swordfish* |
| Crab (Domestic) | Hoki | Tuna (Yellowfin)* | Tuna (Bigeye, Ahi)* |
| Crawfish/Crayfish | Lobster | ||
| Exotic prawn | Monkfish* | ||
| Flounder* | Perch (Freshwater) | ||
| Haddock | Red fish | ||
| Haddock (Atlantic)* | Skate* | ||
| Hake | Snapper* | ||
| Herring | Tuna (Canned chunk light) | ||
| Lobster | Tuna (Skipjack)* | ||
| Mackerel | |||
| Mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub) | |||
| Mullet | |||
| Mussels | |||
| Oyster | |||
| Perch (Ocean) | |||
| Plaice | |||
| Pollack | |||
| Prawns | |||
| Queen scallop | |||
| Salmon(Canned)** | |||
| Salmon (Fresh)** | |||
| Sardine | |||
| Scallop* | |||
| Scampi | |||
| Sea bass | |||
| Sea bream | |||
| Shrimp* | |||
| Sole (Pacific) | |||
| Squid (Calamari) | |||
| Trout | |||
| Whiting | |||
| Winkles |
Remember, fish and seafood are good for you and should be part of a healthy diet. By eating sustainable fish we not only get the nutrition we need but we also help the environment. Enjoy spring and enjoy a few shrimps on the barbeque……..Oh, my…I’m making myself hungry!
March 9, 2010
DIY Greenhouse
Spring is on its way and this is the time when most people decide to plants flowers or herbs, or even vegetables. I love to plant herbs, especially ones that are expensive or hard to find here, but the problem I always face is space. I live in a flat with an average sized balcony. Last spring, for ideas I went on….all together now….the internet and found several articles about container gardening, in other words – gardening for people with limited spaces. Following the directions, I planted my seeds, waited and saw my herbs sprout. I really got excited about it, but the herbs and soil started drying out. What to do?? This is where the internet came in handy. Once more I found some relevant articles about making a greenhouse, but not the usually metal and glass greenhouses, this one was for the container garden, i.e. ME and all one needs is a stick and some plastic bags!
Your plants should last longer and can grow in various environments in this greenhouse. My roka lasted a few weeks more than before I had one!!. You don’t need much and how much depends on the size of your container, i.e. a larger container will require more material. The directions following are based on a medium-sized plant pot.
- A plant pot (make sure it has holes at the bottom), with own water collection plate.
- Plastic bags: sandwich bags (the thicker the better), or you can get clear plastic sheets from the garden shop and cut to the size you want to make an adequate cover
- A stick to keep the bag upright
- Something to seal the bag at the bottom, this can be a rubber band (this works well on small plant pots), or brown tape
Plant your seeds as usual, fill the pot with lots of water, making sure it is full. Plant the stick in the pot to keep the bag/plastic up and cover the pot, making sure it fits well so the moisture stays in. Then seal the bag/plastic with a rubber band or brown tape.
Put the pot in a sunny spot on your balcony. The heat of the sun builds the condensation on the plastic and waters the plant (This is a good science project for kids). If the plants get too big for the bag/plastic sheet, just replace the plastic and stick with new larger ones! Eh Voilá!!
February 25, 2010
Do your indoor plants do anything besides look nice?
In the 80’s NASA did an interesting study on cleaning indoor air pollutants. What they found was that some plants clean 3 common indoor pollutants, trichloroethylene, benzene, and formaldehyde from the air fairly well.
Formaldehyde is common everywhere, its in building materials, and household products like cleaning products, plastic shopping bags, paper towels. Benzene is a common solvent which is found in oils, plastic, detergents and paints. Trichloroethylene is used in paints, adhesives, inks, and varnishes.
Research was conducted on nineteen common household plants. The results showed that they are good at clearing up these pollutants; however some worked better overall, while others were more effective in getting rid of specific pollutants.
I have listed below these findings by the chemical they were best at cleaning up.
Benzene – English ivy, gerbera daisies, pot mums, peace lily, bamboo palm, and Mother-in-law’s Tongue were found to be better
Trichloroethylene – peace lily, gerbera daisy, and bamboo palm were good.
Formaldehyde – bamboo palm, Mother-in-law’s tongue, dracaena warneckei, peace lily, dracaena marginata, golden pathos, and green spider plant were all good.
The study found the following 10 planets to be the most effective at overall of clearing indoor air pollution.
•Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea Seifritzii) •Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema Modestum)
•English Ivy (Hedera Helix) •Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera Jamesonii)
•Janet Craig (Dracaena “Janet Craig”) •Marginata (Dracaena Marginata)
•Mass cane/Corn Plant (Dracaena Massangeana)
•Warneckii (Dracaena “Warneckii”) •Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (Sansevieria Laurentii)
•Pot Mum (Chrysantheium morifolium) •Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
FINALLY A CURE FOR THE COMMON COLD
…..that would be great and boy would I be rich! Unfortunately, there is no cure for the cold however; there are some traditional natural remedies that can help lessen the effects of a cold, a sore throat and a mild flu. These formulas have been tried and tested by many through the years including my family. Where I could, I put the medicinal attributes of some of the ingredients as well as which ailment they can help. You can find the ingredients in most places. Some of them you can use as a kind of preventative. A couple I use once the winter months start even if they are mild winters. Some herbs can’t be taken when pregnant; breastfeeding or while taking strong medications as they may cause side effects, please make sure these are ok for you to take before you begin. For instance, when breastfeeding do not use sage as it reduces milk production and thyme is not great if you have a thyroid problem. These I know from personal experience.
TEA (boil ingredients with water, let steep, filter and cool before drinking)
- Ginger stems, sweeten with honey, drink twice a day, you can also add lemon. For children: give 20-50 ml 3 times a day (dilute)
- Sage (natural antiseptic, astringent) tea with honey, boil sage in water leave to steep for a short while so it can infuse rather than be a thick tea (use for congestion). Drink 3 times a day for 3 – 5 days, for children make it diluted
- Sage and thyme (for chesty cough or phlegm, thyme has natural antiseptic properties), one dose 3 times a day for 2 – 3 days
- Green tea, I take this at the first signs of anything, I have it with honey. When I have a sore throat, I add lemon. It helps boost your immune system. I have 2 cups a day at the first sign of a symptom. If I feel really sick I have 3 – 4 cups. This works well for me!
- Garlic, make as a tea, eat whole, roast (makes it sweeter) and eat. If you don’t mind the smell this is a great natural antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal.
- Lemon Tea: squeeze ½ – one lemon and put juice in a cup. Add boiling water and some honey for sweetener. Adjust to your taste. Great for colds and sore throats.
SYRUPS
- Thyme and honey steeped/mixed together you can have straight or use as a tea sweetener Dosage: 1 tsp 3 times a day for a few days Mix: Thyme – dried ¼ cup and 1 cup of honey with water. You can heat the thyme like a tea and then add the honey when cooled or heat both together (do not boil) and cool. Strain the thyme, put in a clean jar and store in a cupboard for a few days or in the fridge for a longer time. This works like cough syrup.
- This is a personal favorite, but you really have to love lemons for this. For me it works great for a sore throat or chesty coughs. It gets all the phlegm out! Squeeze a small lemon or half a large one in a cup; add a pinch of salt and drink. I do this when I feel a tickle in my throat. If my symptoms get worse, I do this twice a day for a few days. It’s also a great dose of vitamin-C.
GARGLE
- This is an old family favorite. For sore throats, it is great! At the first sign of cold or sore throat my mum takes this out and we gargle away (my children don’t seem to mind this). Mix a little salt and turmeric powder with lukewarm water. Gargle 4 times a day.
- For kids, if you can get them to drink it, heat turmeric root (looks like thick twig pieces) with milk, put honey to sweeten and let them drink a small amount 3 times a day. Adults can have a cup twice a day. Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial.
RUB/BATH
- I use this as a homemade rub. It is like Vicks Vapor Rub. Use a base oil (olive oil or Vaseline) and a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil and mix well. Rub on chest/throat/back and underarms for kids. This is great for children. You would have to make A LOT for adults!!
- If a child has a temperature, put some mint leaves in a warm bath and bath them in it, this has worked for us and the smell is calming for the child.
AIR FRESHENER
- We use this when our family has a cold spree as it is supposed to kill air-born bacteria! Burn some frankincense. You need the pure form not the perfumed one. To use, burn it in an incense burner with charcoal and let the smoke go all over the house.
What is Leaching into Your Food?
One of the best inventions of our time has to be Tupperware, wonderful plastic containers that keep things fresh and odor free while neatly stacking in our fridge. I personally love them and use them for more than leftovers. As much as I use them, after reading some articles about how chemicals in plastics can leach into our food, my love of them became tempered. According to research, at room or cool temperatures chemicals leachage is small, but when plastic containers are heated the amount of chemicals leached into food rises dramatically. Here are a few points I jotted down from the articles.
Basically, ‘know your plastics’. There are around 7 types of plastics and every plastic container from Tupperware to baby bottles have a number on them to identify the kind of plastic used. You may see the letters or the number in a triangle usually on the bottom and they are:
1 Polyethyelene terephthalate (PETE)
2 High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
3 Vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
4 Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
5 Polypropylene (PP)
6 Polystyrene (PS) (white trays under packaged fresh foods)
7 Includes polycarbonate, acrylic, polylactic acid, fibreglass
Avoid number 7 for food storage. I threw out my scratched ones and used any new ones for knickknacks like buttons, etc. Also avoid 3 and 6. If you are using plastics for storing foods use only 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Although plastics 1, 2, 4 and 5 are ok for storage, here are some dos and don’ts when it comes to using them:
- Plastic that says its ok for use in microwave or dishwasher simply means that it won’t melt, so it’s best not to use them in a dishwasher or microwave. Wash plastics by hand to avoid getting them scratched. If they do either get rid or use for nonfood items.
- Avoid using PVC cling film/ plastic wrap in microwave or wrapping food in it. Look for non-PVC cling film to wrap food in.
- Use as much as possible, glass or stainless steel for food storage.
- Let food cool down before storing in a plastic container. In addition, letting food cool down before putting the fridge will cut down on energy used by the fridge to cool it down.
Although we can’t avoid using plastics, as they are everywhere, we can know our plastic to be better informed about to use it.
DIY Pest control
My journey into organic gardening started as a science project for my son. It then morphed into planting some herbs and small vegetables, but while the rocket tasted great most of my hard work was eaten by aphids and other insects. So, of course, I turned to the internet (surprise! surprise!) looking for a non-toxic way to get rid of them. I found a couple of good formulas for a repellent and pesticides that mostly use items I use for cooking. In this way the pests are gone, the kids are not harmed and I get to enjoy my roka salad. So here are a few pest control recipes that I and others have used. But first, a few things to keep in mind before getting started;
1. It’s better to spray in the early morning or the when it’s cool in evening. Do not spray when temps are over 27c or the plants may “burn”.
2. First, test on a small portion of the plant then wait a day to see if there is any negative reaction
3. “Less is more” don’t increase use or amount of the ingredients. Use gradually till you see results. i.e., garlic, chilli and soap can actually harm plants if large amounts are used.
4. Although I’ve not had experience with this as I have a balcony garden, in large gardens some bugs are good, so when using general pesticides, as much as possible use them directly on the pests to avoid getting rid of good ones.
Recipes and Formulas:
Let’s start with soaps. I used this on the surrounding area of the plant containers and you can use this on leaves, but don’t use on blossoming plants. This works on aphids, and mites. In a clean spray bottle mix a few drops of mild dishwashing liquid with a couple of pints of water and spray liberally. Adding couple teaspoons of cooking oil as it helps it to cling to the leaves.
- For getting rid of tent caterpillars try getting a bucket of water with some dish soap in it. Using a mop soaked with the soapy water ‘wash’ the tent in the tree. The soap breaks down the natural oils in the nest.
- This is a general pesticide. It may repel some pests and will get rid of others. What you need is a thoroughly cleaned spray bottle, 1 bulb of garlic, a pint of water, some ground chilli, cayenne is good. For sticking power on large leaves add a couple of teaspoons of mild hand/dish soap. Blend the garlic with the water and pepper; let them steep, then strain the liquid to get lumps out. If you are using soap add it the very last after straining. You can keep it in the fridge for around 5/6 days in a glass container.
The following are repellents.
- Clove and lavender oils are good repellents for flying insects and silver fish. I use it as a room spray for mosquitoes and ants.
- This is for a different kind of pest – weeds, but as I live in a flat I’ve not had an opportunity to use. If someone tries it please let me know how it works. An ounce of table salt to a gallon of water sprayed on weeds or straight salt, especially in non-garden areas can stop weeds.
- Also, salt sprinkled on plants or where snails / slugs congregate can discourage them. For your plants spray / sprinkle early in the morning when there is still dew on the plants leaves.
- For those who live near fields this has been shown to work well against mice. Soak cotton balls with pure peppermint oil and place near an entry hole or common place they have been sighted. The smell will keep them away; make sure you replace every couple of months or so.
Ants
- As a deterrent, trace the ant column back to their point of entry. Set any of the following items at the entry area in a small line, which ants will not cross: cayenne pepper, cinnamon, citrus oil or turmeric. Also are good to place near any ant hills. On vertical paths place Vaseline or Vicks. I washed my floor with a mixture of vinegar (white), water, soap (mild), lavender and clove oil every couple of days for around a week and that seemed to work.
- For a pesticide try some boric acid mixed with sugar placed near the ant hill. The ants will take it to the queen. But make sure that pets and kids don’t go near it.
If you know of any other natural pest control I would love to know about it.
- Happy gardening
Those Pesky Pervasive Pesticides
New labeling on foods tells you about fat content, sugar content and even additives, but what about pesticides? Even more so, what about fruits or vegetables that have no labels? I must have looked through hundreds of pages about this and that pesticide, so much that even a Gerry Butler marathon wouldn’t have put an end to my headache. Here is the result of some of the information I managed to decipher. A report conducted from 2002-2005 (some were updated in the 2007 summary report) listed produce with more and less pesticide residue. These are still within EU pesticide regulation. The produce in the Red column have more pesticides, Amber less and Green the least. MRL is the acronym for Maximum Residue Level. If you have a limited budget this information helps by indicating which produce would be better to buy organic and for which it is less important. You will notice that some fruits are listed in two columns. This is because local fruits generally contain less pesticide than imported ones.
| RED most
frequently contain MRL |
AMBER | GREEN less
frequently contain the MRL |
| Apple | Apricots | Asparagus |
| *Banana | Blackberries | Blueberries |
| Beans (green & specialty | Carrots | Broccoli |
| Celery | Cauliflower | Endive |
| Cherries | Cherries | Exotic fruits (passion fruit, pomegranate, etc) |
| *Citrus fruits | Cultivated mushrooms | Fennel |
| Courgettes / Zucchini | Lemons* | Kiwis |
| Cucumber | Lettuce | Onions |
| Currants | Mangoes* | |
| Dried fruit | Peaches | Star fruit |
| Eggplant | Pineapple* | |
| Gooseberries | Plums | |
| Grapes | Spinach | |
| Herbs | ||
| Lettuce | ||
| Melons* | ||
| Papayas* | ||
| Parsley | ||
| Pears | ||
| Peppers | ||
| Potatoes | ||
| Pre-packed salad | ||
| Radishes | ||
| Raspberries | ||
| Strawberries | ||
| Tomatoes |
* Products that are peeled may contain fewer contaminants.
Until an EU regulation bans pesticides or makes it so that only organic pesticides are used, the advocates against pesticides have recommended the following:
- Replace as much as possible of the produce in the first column with organic produce
- Ask your supermarket about their pesticide policy, some European supermarkets (mostly in Belgium, Germany, UK) have taken measures to reduce pesticides in/on their fruits and vegetables.
- Try to eat locally and seasonally, fruits and vegetables grown out of season have been shown to contain more pesticide residue than when in season.
- Peel and cook foods where possible
- Scrub hard foods such as apples, carrots etc.
- Rinse all foods before peeling
- Strip leafy vegetables like lettuce of the outer leaves and rinse well.
How Preserved Are We?
In my recent travels around the internet I stumbled accidentally, but fortunately on an article about additives (E numbers), so I thought why not read it and what a surprise! For the full article go to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-453431/The-proof-food-additives-ARE-bad-feared.html. Additives are in everything and in some cases they are needed to stop use for being ill from some foods like nitrates are used in processed meat to stop them going bad, but there are tons of them and we should at least try to understand them so we can avoid them or at least know what we are dealing with. On an ingredient label, additives are mentioned either by name (gelling: pectin) or with an E number (E440).
The most commonly used additives are:
- Preservatives to stop things for going mouldy or contaminated.
- Colourings to give drinks, sweets etc, their colour. Like green or purple.
- Emulsifiers to help ingredients like oil and water mix together
- Stabilisers to stop ingredients from separating
- Gelling agents and thickeners to thicken jams and sauces
- Flavouring to enhance flavours in foods, i.e. make sauces, snacks etc taste better
- Sweeteners which can be used as a substitute for sugar.
While we may not be able to avoid additives altogether, the following should be avoided for children as they have been linked to hyperactivity in children.
FYI – What are these things in plain English?
- Tartrazine (E102) – yellow colouring, or mixed with blue, to make green
- Quinoline yellow (E104) – yellow/lime green dye
- Sunset yellow (E110) – yellow/orange dye
- Carmoisine (E122) – used to colour
- Ponceau 4R (E124) – red dye
- Allura red (E129) – red colouring
- Sodium benzoate (E211) – preservative
The Kitchen Spa
Why not turn your kitchen into a spa. Before you go out to the department store and get a packet of fruity facial mask, grab the honey, eggs and oatmeal and mix yourself up a facial treat. If you have sensitive skin, try some out on the back of your arm to see if you get a reaction.
I thought I’d throw this one in for hair. Put around a cup of honey into your hair making sure to cover all over, wrap with plastic wrap and then a towel and let it stay for 20 minutes or so. Rinse off and shampoo as usual, it puts a shine to your hair.
This works well as a kind of toner. Mix together: a large spoon of milk, an egg and a small spoon of honey. Smooth on your face and leave for around 10-15 minutes, or longer if you want. Rinse with lukewarm water and then splash your face with some cold water.
Or try rosewater with cucumber juice (grate the cucumber then drain the juice)when used as a toner it helps make your skin feel tighter.
For dry skin mix 1 small spoon olive oil, egg yolk, a small spoon honey and ground oatmeal to form a paste. Cover face and leave for 10-15 minutes. Mayonnaise is good too, but it’s better to make your own as you control what goes into it!
For oily skin mash up fresh tomatoes (ripe ones), put on you face and leave for 10-15 minutes. Then just rinse with warm water.
This face mask is my favorite, I make it a lot because it doesn’t last long as I get puckish and well you know when you gotta snack, you gotta snack!. Mash some ripe avocados (a large spoon should be enough), mix in a small spoon of honey. Make sure your face is clean, then cover and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water.
I have a list of what the different benefits of some fruits and vegetables are if anyone wants a copy, that way you can make face masks that suit you.
Enviro-’mental’ Mum
Being a little bit, ok a lot, of an obsessive mum I went through the over-cleaning phase when my eldest was born. I had a cupboard full of all imaginable cleaners for everything, and in some cases 2-3 for the same thing, yes I was that insane. But time, and some ‘gentle’ persuasion from all around me and I was brought back to my sanity, but another obsession ensued, the internet. Love it or hate spending my time on the internet I got to read a lot about the dangers of chemicals and how it was just as effective to make your own household cleaners. So goodbye chemical sprays and hello baking soda and vinegar! Making your own household cleaners is a lot easier than it sounds and you control what you use. Here a few that I use, which I make as and when I need them. As the ingredients are everyday kitchen items you can get the kids to mix them as well and call it a science game.
Disinfectant cleaner
In a clean spray bottle or tight-capped container mix 3 tablespoons (tbsp) of liquid soap, 2 cups of water and around 20 drops of tea tree oil (it’s a natural disinfectant). Shake the ingredients to mix and use. I add another 10 drops when using it for the bathroom.
Window cleaner
Like the disinfectant cleaner, you can use a spray bottle or container. Mix ¼ cup of white vinegar, 2 cups of water and ½ teaspoon (tsp) of liquid soap.
Tile cleaner (for kitchen/bathroom)
In a bowl mix together 2 cups of baking soda, 2 or 3 cups liquid soap and the same of water, along with a few spoonfuls of vinegar. Put on the tile and clean. You can rinse or wipe off. I sometime also add a few drops of tea tree oil.
All-purpose cleaner
I use this in the kitchen for all surfaces including sink and on the dinning table. In a clean spray bottle mix equal parts of white vinegar and water. You can also add a little lemon juice for a nice scent.
While these work on all the surfaces I have, its best to try on a small and unseen area first just to make sure.
