Let stop eating fast food now!

Do you know the  MCDONALD’s BURGER DOES NOT ROT!

In 2008, Karen Hanrahan posted in her blog Best of Mother Earth this picture of a McDonald’s burger that she’s kept for 12 years! The burger on the left is the burger from 1996 and the one on the right was a newly bought burger. They sure look quite similar…

Let do it now and stop eating to junk food!
When soft drinks are concerned, we should understand that they are just water with a lot of sugar in it. And drinking too much of soft drinks does not do any good to our body, as well as our health. From the above we should understand that fast food and soft drinks are not really something good for us. Unfortunately, most of us just love this kind of junk food and eating fast food has become a kind of urban lifestyle. This will just mean that we will be taking more calories than we needed and eventually they will be stored as fat!

In fact, there are also snacks which are just like fast food. A lot of people nowadays will take things such as French fries and potato chips as snacks. Again, you will just taking too much fat and calories in this case. They are not something healthy when snacks are concerned.

From the above, we should know that we need to eat something healthier. Yes it is very true that we should try to live a healthy lifestyle. This is the way to prevent us from gaining too much weight. Taking the idea of snacks for example, we should try to take fruits as snacks instead of fries or chips. A banana and an orange will certainly be a lot healthier than fries and chips!

 What all this does to your body is it increases your fat storage, especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.

It places you at risk of strokes from high blood pressure, type II diabetes from irregular blood sugar levels, heart attacks from raised LDL cholesterol levels, cancer of the colon because it cannot process the waste products properly, more frequent illness as your immune system is compromised and a greater chance of contracting other cancers as your levels of antioxidants is so low.

It increases your chances of contracting arthritis and other inflammatory diseases at an increasingly younger age as your overall body acidity rate increases, lowering your ability to process and remove excess uric acid from your bloodstream.

It also leads to weight gain and obesity, further increasing the likelihood of strokes and heart attacks.

All in all, it paints a pretty gloomy picture. So what can you do to redress the balance?

You need to cut out most of the fast, processed food from your diet food delivery system and replace it with traditional, home cooked meals prepared and made from fresh vegetables, meat and fish. You should include fresh fruits and berries in that diet and switch to wholemeal bread and pasta to increase your body's intake of the all-important dietary fiber.

You may have spent years doing untold amounts of damage to your body, but that damage can be undone and fixed by switching your diet. Its never too late, unless you're about to check out of the hospital in a wooden box. So don't let it come to that and make the change now!

If you don't care about doing it for yourself, at least do it for your children. Show them you love them and give them a chance at living a healthy and long life by cooking them good wholesome food like your grandmother used to make for your parents and if you were lucky enough, like your parents did for you.

Rising gas prices affect a lot!

On your way to work this morning, or possibly to somewhere else to conduct your daily business or errands, take a look at the signs being proudly displayed at any business selling gasoline. What do you see, other than a price that continues to climb. The reason for these rising prices, $3.45 in my area and much higher in others, is a simple one, while at the same time as complex as anything you may ponder. Unrest in the Middle East is threatening the supply and flow of oil, so the automatic, knee-jerk reaction is for the price to go up. Excuses we have heard before include hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and damage to refineries in Texas and Louisiana. Obviously, the rising price of oil, over $101 per barrel this morning, precedes the rising price of gasoline, so as the first goes up, so follows the latter. It has been that way for years, but it seems to me that the price of gasoline is more volatile than ever before. The cause for that lies directly at the feet of the energy policy of the United States government.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration is projecting that the average retail price of regular-grade motor gasoline will increase from $2.78 per gallon in 2010 to $3.70 per gallon in 2011 and to $3.80 per gallon in 2012, hitting a high of $4 this summer.

How will this hit the pocketbook of the average American household? According to the U.S. Department of Transportation and EIA, the average U.S. household purchases a little over 1,100 gallons of gasoline per year. Therefore, when there is a sustained rise in the cost of gasoline by $1, the average American household spends an additional $1,100 annually.

In 2009, the median household income in Kentucky was $41,197. At $3 per gallon the typical Kentucky household would spend about 8 percent of its annual income on gasoline. At $4 per gallon the percentage rises to 10.7 percent.

In 2009, the median household income in Ohio was $47,144. At $3 per gallon the typical Ohio household would spend about 7 percent of its annual income on gasoline. At $4 per gallon the percentage rises to
9.3 percent.

In 2009, the median household income in Indiana was $47,465. At $3 per gallon the typical Indiana household would spend about 7 percent of its annual income on gasoline. At $4 per gallon the percentage rises to 9.3 percent.

Stop Eating Fast Food And Start Cooking At Home

  “How could you eat that junk? It’s so bad for you!” (nag, nag). “Don’t you know those fries will give you a heart attack?” (nag, nag). “You have to stop eating all that fast food, it’s going to make you fat!” (nag nag). “You have to eat more healthy food like fruits and vegetables – they’re good for you!” (nag, nag). Your friends nag you, your family nags you, your doctor nags you, the health newsletters, websites and magazines – they all nag you, and of course, your personal trainer nags the heck out of you, to stop eating all those BAD FAST FOODS. But does all that nagging you and bad-mouthing the fast food industry really help anyone stop?

While you may be hearing that fast food is unhealthy all the time, it still may not be enough to make you stop eating fast food. Many people choose this option because it is convenient and fast. Some do not like cooking or do not feel like cooking after working hard all day, so they go with this food choice. There are even some that believe that fast food is a cheaper option as well.

When soft drinks are concerned, we should understand that they are just water with a lot of sugar in it. And drinking too much of soft drinks does not do any good to our body, as well as our health. From the above we should understand that fast food and soft drinks are not really something good for us. Unfortunately, most of us just love this kind of junk food and eating fast food has become a kind of urban lifestyle. This will just mean that we will be taking more calories than we needed and eventually they will be stored as fat!

In fact, there are also snacks which are just like fast food. A lot of people nowadays will take things such as French fries and potato chips as snacks. Again, you will just taking too much fat and calories in this case. They are not something healthy when snacks are concerned.


Quick and Easy Chinese Stir Fry Recipe

What You will Need:

1 cup of dry brown rice, cooked
1 bag of frozen stir fry vegetables
1 pound of chicken breast, grilled
1/4 to 1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce
Olive Oil

How to Make It:

Start the rice first. Put the cup of dry rice in a rice cooker and cooking according to directions or cook on the stove top by following the directions on the packet. Meanwhile, use a Foreman grill to grill your chicken or you can grill it on a grill. (To make this faster, buy chicken already grilled and ready to go). Add a small amount of olive oil to a wok or a large frying pan. Begin sauting frozen vegetables. Add in the cooked rice and grilled chicken breast. Add soy sauce. Cook until rice and chicken are warmed through and veggies are crisp tender. Serve immediately.

Gas price??????????

As a result of the disastrous earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the world's third largest economy is most likely to rely on imports of spot market liquefied natural gas ( LNG ) along with other fuels to cover the nuclear power outages as occurred after the last earthquake disruption at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear facility in 2007. Japan will rely on these imports to meet its natural gas needs because of limited domestic resources over the short term with potential longer term implications, as it most certainly will be reviewing its energy mix and nuclear agenda going forward. The power sector is the largest consumer of LNG, followed by the industrial sector and increased use of natural gas within both sectors has been one of the main drivers of growth in natural gas demand in Japan.

Gas prices are now the highest they have ever been during the month of April and at its fourteenth highest nominal price according to data from the Energy Department going back to 1990. The average gas price is $3.79 per gallon of regular, according to the Energy Department's weekly figures released today, an increase of 11 cents from last week and 93 cents from a year ago.

As the average price of gasoline edges closer to $4 a gallon -- with at least one gas station in Orlando at $5.59 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.com -- have drivers finally reached the point when they will switch to smaller cars or forego driving altogether?

Drivers can be especially resistant to changing their behavior, but Mantill Williams, spokesperson for the American Public Transportation Authority, said pump prices have taken a serious toll on wallets.

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Orange County is $3.27 – the highest in O.C. during Christmas time, according to AAA and Oil Price Information Service figures.

The higher prices are the result of rising crude oil prices, said Marie Montgomery of the Automobile Club of Southern California.

"More oil is being used than is deemed produced on a daily basis," Montgomery said.

The Orange County average price is 12.7 cents more than a month ago and 35.6 cents more than a year ago, according to AAA and Oil Price Information Service figures.

As a result, some economists are dialing back their growth predictions for the economy this year. Although companies are starting to hire again, rising gas prices threaten to slow those gains.

Meanwhile, the price of gold and silver are also setting record highs. Gold hit $1,476 an ounce, while silver topped $41 an ounce -- a 31-year high.

"Commodities across the board are rallying, aggravating the inflation outlook," said Chae Un Soo, a Seoul-based trader at KEB Futures Co. "For now, more and more investors are looking to precious metals as a shelter."

What Do Gas Price Increases Really Mean to the Economy as A Whole

The national average for a gallon of gas is now hovering well over $4.00 per gallon and expected to reach as high as $5.00. With summer just around the corner, cash strapped families are reconsidering summer vacation plans – or have they already? Around the country, popular tourist destinations are already taking a hit.

According to a host of contributors to an Associated Press feature on Friday, “there are already signs that eye-popping gas prices are changing Americans’ behavior.”

Here are some interesting things to consider.

Only 37,000 people visited Mount Rushmore in March, down from 43,000 a year ago.

Along the Rhode Island coast, a favorite for scenic drivers, roadside businesses are down as much as 30-percent since early March.

Travel destinations do keep a close watch on gas prices and do their best to react. Some destinations are offering gas cards or discounts on rooms and services, but with gas prices high, there is still little room for extra spending. Carl Whitehall, of the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Gettysburg, PA, says, “While we still think millions of people will come to Gettysburg, they may not buy as many souvenirs or go to as many attractions as they hoped.”

Especially if gas climbs to $5.00 a gallon, the roadside restaurants, hotels, souvenir shops, attractions and regional points-of-interest will suffer dramatically this summer.

Do you remember the two-percent cut in the social security payroll tax that kicked in January first and was designed to give American families some extra disposable income? Those extra funds are now going right into your gas tank.

The airlines are also getting hit with high gas prices, which they inevitably have to pass along to the consumers.

Diesel fuel prices are up over a dollar from last year, which means increased shipping costs on everything that doesn’t move by train.

The bottom line on sustained gas prices hovering around $5.00 is it’s an economy killer. If people are paying an extra dollar or two for gas, they will be forced to stop discretionary spending on items now starting to make a slight come-back, potentially putting us back into the throws of a recession.

So, why are gas prices so high? This is what you really can do all by yourself to make an impact on demand. However, you will have to leave your comfort zone. There was a time not so long ago that driving an automobile required more than just turning a key and going. You had to adjust the choke for instance. You didn't have cruise. You had to check the oil every week. You had to change your own flat.

What does that have to do with high gas prices? Just trying to get you prepared for how you can save 30% to 80% on the fuel your car uses. You can wait for alternative energy cars that are mass produced in 15 to 30 years, and keep paying ridiculous prices for gas, or you can do something NOW.

Alternative energy is not new. The world has been using power from nature since time began. Think sailboat, water mill, wind mill, hot springs, wood, whale blubber, oil, horses, oxen, and fire. As a means of transportation these all leave something to be desired, especially when you already own a car.

It is now possible to burn hydrogen gas obtained from water, on an as needed basis, mix it with gasoline, ignite it in your engine, and increase your efficiency. You can build a device from common materials for under $60 that will accomplish this. It will take you an afternoon with simple tools to build, and under an hour to install it. The rub is, you will have to maintain it, which will probably take up to 30 minutes per month. Are you willing to give up your time to save $1 to $1.50 on every gallon of gas you buy?

Why are gas prices so high? They don't have to be.

Eating in McDonald’s

Three years ago when I was just starting my way of loosing weight I wondered if I should stop eating fast food at all or still loosing weight is possible even eating in fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s.

At the moment I’ve come to the conclusion that you should not ban yourself from eating fast food you like. You just should do it wisely.

Don’t eat in McDonald’s every day. That’s bad for sure. Even eating fast food several times a week is not good. I guess optimal permitted frequency is 1-4 times a month. That’s up to 1 time per week.

Don’t take biggest meals. I’d also recommend not to take biggest burgers such as BigMacs, QuarterPounder’s (Royal with cheese), double cheeseburgers or BigTasty. At least don’t take them too frequently.

Another secret is a drink. Take always HOT drink with your burger. It’s extremely important. Cold drink prevent food to be processed normally by your stomachs. Remember: when you are in fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s or BurgerKing – take hot coffee or tea with your burger.

Time of your McDonald’s dinner. Best time for dinner in McDonald’s is during or before the walk. Don’t eat fast food just before you are going to bed. By the way it’s also related to any type of food and especially candies and chocolate this will be guaranteed become fat when you go to sleep.

Of course it would be great if you stop eating fast food in McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants but not everyone can do it. I like McDonald’s a lot. Just do it wisely and not too often.

STOP EATING AT MCDONALD'S TODAY

Fast food is everywhere. It is available from main commercial blocks to gas service stations. In short, it is available and accessible. This partnered with the biological propensity towards food high in fat and sugar, leads to widespread obesity.

You would have to walk 7 hours straight to burn off a Super Sized Coke, fries and Big Mac. Even indulging in fast food as an occasional treat is a recipe for weight gain…unless you’re planning to hit each treadmill in the treadmill bay afterwards.

In 2007, the employees of an Orlando-area McDonald’s were caught on camera pouring milk into the milkshake machine out of a bucket labeled “Soiled Towels Only.” That particular restaurant had already been cited for 12 different sanitary violations. Though McDonald’s proudly stands by its safety standards, and not every restaurant has such notorious incidents, the setting of a fast food restaurant staffed with low-paid employees at a high turnover rate arguably encourages bending the rules. (McDonald’s isn’t alone in this, of course – Burger King is actually ranked as the dirtiest of all the fast food chains.)

As if feeding children high-fat, high-sodium, low-nutrition “food” weren’t bad enough, some Happy Meals in 2006 contained toy Hummers. It’s as if McDonald’s was encouraging a whole generation of kids not only to guzzle food, but to guzzle gas as well. Would you like a few barrels of petroleum with that?

McDonald's is one of many multinational companies which use (or have used) crops, beef, or both, raised on ex-rainforest land in South America. What companies basically do is cut down rainforest - which as you probably know is essential for absorbing carbon dioxide, helping to prevent global warming. It is also one of the world's most diverse areas and home to indigenous populations. They then plant crops or grass and in the latter case bring on herds of cattle which eat all the grass. But because rainforest land is not suitable for growing grass or any other sort of crop it soon becomes sterile. Nothing can grow there for years, the forest is destroyed and the companies move on to another piece. In the meanwhile the cattle are emitting methane which is a major cause of global warming.

Tip for losing Weight: 

  Drink Green Tea w/ Honey Everyday.

  Top Superfoods in the World (consume them regularly)

 -Goji Berries

 -Raw Cacao Powder

 -Coconut Water/Oil

 -Maca

 -Blue Green Algae

 -Aloe Vera

 -Royal Jelly/ Bee Pollen

Rising Gas Prices

The national average is about a dollar a gallon more than a year ago and 29 cents more than a month ago, while Oregon’s average is 90 cents higher than a year ago, and 15 cents higher than a month ago.

The price of crude oil remains above $110 per barrel, trading at about $112 per barrel Tuesday, up from $108 a week ago.

Two weeks ago, some analysts predicted falling demand at the pump, prompting a short-lived decline in oil prices, but crude prices rallied 4.7 percent for the week.
In May 2004, The New York Times reported that congressional Democrats "were stepping up pressure on the Bush Administration to ease gasoline prices," when prices were still under $2/gallon. In April 2005, at another press conference, a journalist stated: "Mr. President a majority of Americans disapprove of your handling of social security, gas prices..." In 2006, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) exclaimed: "Since George Bush and Dick Cheney took over as president and vice president, gas prices have doubled...They are too cozy with the oil industry" after she drove one less-than-energy-efficient block to a press conference at a local Exxon station.

The impact of the delays goes beyond the oil industry. The Gulf coast economy has been hit hard by the slowdown in drilling activity, especially because the oil spill also hurt the region's fishing and tourism industries. The Obama administration in September estimated that 8,000 to 12,000 workers could lose their jobs temporarily as a result of the moratorium; some independent estimates have been much higher.

The slowdown also has long-term implications for U.S. oil production. The Energy Information Administration, the research arm of the Department of Energy, last month predicted that domestic offshore oil production will fall 13% this year from 2010 due to the moratorium and the slow return to drilling; a year ago, the agency predicted offshore production would rise 6% in 2011. The difference: a loss of about 220,000 barrels of oil a day.

“2008 was a good year for us,” Lieghio said. “Even though gas prices were high, Mackinaw City isn’t too far for people to visit, and there are good bargains.”

Shepler ferries won’t be raising their fees to take tourists to Mackinac Island this summer, said Bill Shepler, president of the family-owned business. He bought his gas in January to avoid the rising costs.

While his customers couldn’t do that, he doesn’t think paying more for gas will keep people from traveling this summer.

“I think people will keep going on vacations — maybe not as far or as long,” Shepler said.

STOP eating the dirty fast food

Do you know that More than 60% of the restaurants had what experts refer to as "critical violations," which are benchmarks for judging a restaurant's cleanliness. Critical violations can fuel food-borne illnesses (such as salmonella) and, aside from that, are just nasty.

Fast food has also been found to be psychologically and even physically addictive, because of its high fat and high sugar content. (Please see my earlier article on Food Addiction: Five Foods That Cause Physical and Emotional Dependencies

Some fast-food joints, like Jack in the Box, spell out the most common sources of food allergies and then mention that one or more of their products may contain the allergens, but they don't specify which ones. Just covering all their bases, we think. Our advice: order a diet cola.

 Fries are not made from 100% potato.

 When fast-food restaurants started, fries were made from real potatoes, which were peeled and sliced each morning. Today, nearly all fast-food fries arrive at the restaurants frozen and processed.

 Since potatoes become discolored during the freezing process (when they are stored in temperatures below 45 F), they must be treated with sulphites at the production plant to avoid this natural phenomenon. Oh, and there is no peeling or slicing involved -- all fries are now made with machines.

The nations obesity epidemic has focused attention on fast food restaurants.  The good news is that many chains have begun offering healthier options.  But they don’t help unless you actually order them.  So while it’s not always the ideal choice to eat at one of these chains, with some knowledge and good common sense we can stay on track towards a healthy lifestyle.

Stop eating fast food

How many of you eat fast food more than three times a week? Do you eat it because it tastes good? Do you eat it because it’s cheap or because it’s fast and convenient? Do you know where they get it from, or how they cook it or what they use to cook it? On the other hand, not all fast food joints are bad for you; the most important thing to keep in mind is to know what you are eating and making smart decisions. Do you ever wonder how clean the kitchen is or the cooking conditions that take place? There are three types of fast food dangers; Illness, obesity and fast food financial danger.

 I. Illnesses caused by fast foods
A. Food Poisoning
1. Food poisoning is one of today’s most visible fast food scares.
2. Food poisoning comes from two main causes
a. Unsanitary cooking conditions
b. Improperly cooked food


 II. Obesity from eating too much fast food
A. Obesity is a growing concern that affects all age groups but is more effective on people who eat fast food meals several times a week.
B. Making smart choices
1. Drink water instead of soda
2. Choose healthier side items
3. Opt for small portions or split the meal
4. Skip heavy condiments such as mayo or ketchup
C. Supersize Me is
III. Fast food financial dangers
A. Many people don’t realize the fast food financial danger that can quickly take over their wallet.
B. The average cost for a single person can range up the 5-7 dollars; however these costs can quickly escalate when eating at these fast food restaurants multiple times a week.
1. Make fast food meals a treat and not a convenience
2. Avoid requesting larger sizes that add more to the bill
3. Use coupons and special deals to enjoy your treat at a lower cost
C. If you eat a Big Mac twice a week that’s $12.00, at the end of the month it will be $48.00 and at the end of the year it come out to be around $576.00.

What to Do About Rising Gas Prices

It’s hard not to think you’re being gouged at the pump when you see the prices go up that fast, and in some cases, you are.
Gasoline is the bloodline that keeps America moving, and tracking gas prices can feel like a roller coaster ride. They're down a little one month, up the next, and then they shoot up more than 50 percent in a year. Plus, they're different depending on where you look. Other countries -- and even other states and cities -- can have very different gas prices from your local Gas-N-Go. To the average person, it probably seems as though there's little rhyme or reason to how gas prices are determined. In this article, we will look at the forces that impact the price of gas at the pump, and we'll find out where your gas money actually goes.

While many would say that the ideal solution would be to ride a bike, it’s simply not practical for everyone. The rise in gas prices has seen a spike in recent months that has people fearing for their future. What can people do?

They can always get a more gas-economical car. Nothing wrong with that. The challenges there stem with large families, large bills, and an inability to purchase vehicles. The other alternative – work with what you got.