Not just for baking!

I was updating the section on Making Homemade Baby Formula tonight, when I realized I still have a few secrets I haven’t shared with you over the years. I know it’s hard to believe but it’s true.

Glass with measured ounces.

Glass with measured ounces.

Last year, the whole household came down with the flu. I was passing out vitamins, liquid supplements and cough syrup at the speed of light. If you’ve ever tried giving kids their medicine, you know how much fun it is to clean out those measuring scoops. Forget about those plastic cups too. They are made of cheap plastic — you can never be sure they are really clean.

Well, I found the perfect solution, I use these terrific little  measuring cups for everything. Yes, we’ve broken a few of the larger (5 oz.) cups  but the smaller shot glass size are very sturdy — I keep at least four on-hand. The entire family uses them.

Apparently, they are becoming quite popular, because each time I check there are more selections available. I can hardly wait to buy a couple more.

Here they are:

These measuring cups are perfect for measuring medicine, liquid supplements, measuring seasonings, converting recipes and I am sure I’ve forgotten a few other uses. I even have a heavyweight plastic cup with feet, for the little ones.

I just found this measuring cup for those larger jobs. It appears to have a measure for every thing imaginable.

Grandma always said it was important to have the right tool for the job and she was right. I find myself using these cute little glasses almost everytime I use the kitchen.

I know when I purchase new kitchen items, I always wonder, “How often will I really use this item?”  When I bought my new Vollrath (Tribute)  cookware, I was thrilled with every piece. Even today, it feels good to cook with these terrific pans. I am no less enthusiastic about these measuring cups.

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Playing the Blame Game

My face is very swollen right now; I have an abscessed tooth that is really infected. I am trying hard not to blame anyone but myself, but I really have to wonder who is really to blame.

I have read a great deal in recent years about mercury poisoning from mercury laden dental fillings – and I had plenty. Mom took me to the dentist when I was 12, I had 18 silver amalgam fillings put in – all within a week or two.

I still cannot figure out how I managed to have so many fillings, I was given monthly (or was it weekly) fluoride treatments at the school. These treatments were said to strengthen the enamel on my teeth, to help prevent cavities.

Now, years later, I find out that fluoride is a by-product of another chemical process and we were treated as guinea pigs in a huge government led fraud. Where are all of the studies conducted on those of us who were treated with overdoses of fluoride?

We have learned to avoid flouride treated toothpaste, water with added flouride, as well as juices and other tainted foods.

A study was released just last year showing a relationship between the consumption of sodium benzoate, which is used as a preservative in soft drinks, toothpaste, and many other packaged products.

As parents we have a responsibility to safeguard our children’s health. No one else is going to look out for them. Doctors are too busy treating illnesses – much of it caused by chemical overload – to even give a second thought to preventative measures. Our bodies depend on what we feed it, it is essential that we consume good things and avoid chemicals whenever possible.

If you have health issues, write your congressional representative, and request an investigation into these serious health matters. Studies should be sanctioned to find out what the long-term effects these chemicals will have on us.

In the meantime, I sit here with a swollen face, waiting for the infection to pass so that I can  have this tooth removed. I guess I can blame Obama for my pain — he’s as guilty as anyone.

Tonsils Serve a Purpose

I am all for sharing valuable information with parents. We all know that raising kids is not an easy job, and a little help or advice is often useful to us parents. There is nothing worse than having a sick child and not knowing how to help him or her.

I am disturbed by an article, which ran on the front page of the Modesto Bee today. The article titled, "When Tonsils Cause Trouble," by Ken Carlson doesn’t exactly give all the facts. The author does a good job of connecting tonsillitis to sleep apnea and the problems children can have sleeping, when the tonsils become enlarged.

However, Carlson missed the boat when he made this statement:

It was common to remove tonsils and adenoids in children a few decades ago. But doctors shied away from the practice because the clumps of tissue are part of the immune system.

Some experts believe the pendulum shift caused primary care doctors to disregard the tonsils. "Unfortunately, it does not get enough attention," Khan said.

Those "clumps of tissue" are much more than that.

My son has been suffering with tonsillitis for the past few weeks. We have family members who are recommending a tonsillectomy. When I asked my physician about removing the enlarged tonsils, I learned something I had not known before.

She said the tonsils are part of our lymph node system and work as a filter for toxins that enter the body. Once the tonsils are removed those toxins must go somewhere, and they will find other avenues to explore. She went on to explain that many women who have had their tonsils removed as children, end up having hysterectomies later in life.

This is exactly what happened to me.

Our doctor is working to cure the root of the problem, instead of addressing the symptoms, which can provide a quick fix (like removing the tonsils) but can cause serious health issues later in life.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers guidance to parents. It recommends a tonsillectomy if a child has four tonsil infections in a year or a proven case of sleep apnea. The procedure isn’t as routine as widely assumed: Recovery is painful, and there’s a 10 percent chance of post-surgery hemorrhage.

Parents are often so desperate to help their child get well that they do not consider the long-term risks. Not only can surgery lead to "post-surgery hemorrhage," but also hospitals are a breeding ground for all sorts of infectious diseases, such as staph infections. A hospital stay can expose a child to other complications that are down-played by many physicians.

I’m not saying there are never times when surgery is warranted, what I am saying is parents need explore their options and not jump on the first solution offered. A tonsillectomy is not always the best solution.