Spring is in the air, and it’s time to celebrate with another round of spring- cleaning. Banish the clutter and make room in your life for something new! Many charities see a sharp increase in donations as spring-cleaning season starts. Donating your used books, kids’ toys, and gently worn clothing allows your old items to have a second life. However, when filling that donation box, make sure you’re donating each item because it can do good and not just because you feel bad about throwing it away. Charities have a big problem with well-meaning citizens dropping off items that are better left in the trash. There are many items charities simply cannot handle. Most charities will have lists of items they can and cannot accept on their websites. Some items that you should not donate include: • Expired medications • Old TVs • Cribs • Loose remote controls • Personal care items, like soap, shampoo, or makeup • Mattresses • Carpets • Tangled cords or phone chargers • Any broken, damaged, or dirty items These items may be unsafe to sell, costly to ship, or impossible to refurbish effectively. When a charity regularly receives items they cannot use, they have to spend hours of manpower sorting through things that end up in the trash anyway. This process can be expensive for organizations with already-strained resources. Some local charities spend over $1,000 a year on dumpster and trash removal fees for unusable donations. While charities will have no choice but to throw unusable donations in the trash, there are services you can use to make your spring-cleaning eco- friendly, even for items you can’t donate. For example, if you have torn or stained blue jeans, reach out to Blue Jeans Go Green. This program keeps denim out of landfills by turning it into insulation. And while Goodwill can’t take your batteries or old flip phone, you can check out Call2Recycle.org to learn how to safely recycle your e-waste. DONATE WITH CARE The Right Way to Donate After Spring-Cleaning
HEALTHY FATS FOR A HEALTHY BODY
THE PROBLEM: Only a third of American adults have escaped the obesity epidemic; children have also succumbed. This has led to an epidemic of obesity-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s, in spite of the enormous advances in medical technology. In two short generations, our species has been transformed into a diseased population with a decreasing lifespan. The Low-Fat Diet approach began around 1977. It was theorized that fatty foods were to blame for high cholesterol and heart disease. This low-fat mistake was based on flawed research and has resulted in the explosion of the obesity-related diseases mentioned above. If left unchecked, it will collapse our health care system. Surprisingly, in 2015, the American Heart Association (AMA) acknowledged that there was no evidence to support this low-fat approach. Dietary cholesterol and natural fats have been dropped from the “no-no” list. After over 40 years of misinformation, we’re finally seeing the return of scientific sanity. THE SOLUTION: Eat More Healthy Fats. All food is composed of three macronutrients: fat, carbs, and protein. Fats are energy dense, satisfying, nutritious, and reduce cravings for carbohydrates and sugar. Fats don’t create an insulin response that can lead to obesity and diabetes. They are concentrated in many highly nutritious foods. PROTEINS: Choose grass-fed, hormone-free, organic brands — “natural” means nothing. Healthy options include: steak, 80–85 percent hamburger, organic, non-nitrate (uncured) bacon or sausage, chicken on the bone with skin and fat, lamb, pork, Nathan’s brand hot dogs, duck, goose, organic grass-fed eggs; fatty fish like Atlantic or wild-caught salmon, tuna fish with oil, Pacific sardines, and Atlantic mackerel. Limit your portions to approximately 3–6 ounces per meal. DAIRY, NUTS, SEEDS, AND OILS: Grass-fed, organic dairy products like Kerrygold butter, sour cream, cream cheese, half-and-half or whole cream, and mayonnaise are good options. Aged, fatty cheese like brie, cheddar, and feta are also good in moderation — 3 ounces per day max. Raw unsalted nuts and seeds like macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds are a great source of healthy fats, but don’t overeat nuts; start with 1/4 cup a day. Nut butters with low sugar — we like Wegman’s organic peanut butter — are also good, and don’t forget avocados, olives, and coconut. Oils like olive, palm, coconut, flax, fish, safflower, and avocado are great. Avoid industrial, chemically processed vegetable oils like soy, corn, cottonseed, canola, margarine, and all trans-fats, which are usually found in baked goods. According to the Institute of Medicine, a majority of your caloric intake must come from healthy fats. The lower your fat consumption, the greater the likelihood you will become ill. Start off slowly to see how your body handles healthy fat. I’m available to answer your questions and help you create a healthier body!
Your donations can be a big help to local charities. Just don’t “donate” your garbage.
CedarCrestChiropractic.com
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