Since summertime is here, and hot weather is inevitable, let’s remember to take precautions against overheating.

Though heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable, there were 2,600 heat-related work injuries in one recent year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Muggy or humid conditions add to the discomfort. Excessively hot and dry conditions can create a more dangerous situation.

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) recommends:

• Drink plenty of fluids regardless of your activity level. During heavy work in a hot environment or strenuous activity of any kind, drink two to four glasses of cool fluids each hour. Don’t drink alcohol, beverages with a high sugar content or very cold drinks.
• Replace salt and minerals lost through sweating by drinking a sports beverage. Discuss beverages with your doctor if you are on a low-salt diet.
• Wear appropriate clothing. At home, wear as little as possible. When going out, choose light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection.

• Use sunscreen. Sunburn affects the body’s ability to cool itself. It causes a loss of body fluids, skin damage and pain. Apply a product rated SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes before going out.
• Pace yourself. When working or playing sports in a hot environment, begin slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If your heart begins to pound and you begin gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Move to a cool area or at least into shade to rest, especially if you feel lightheaded or weak.
• Watch each other. When working in the heat, monitor the condition of co-workers and have them do the same for you. Be wary of confusion.
• Stay cool indoors. If you don’t have air conditioning, go to a place that does. Even a few hours in air conditioning can help you stay cooler when you go back into the heat.
• Don’t depend on a fan to cool yourself. When the temperature is in the high 90’s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Cool showers could help you cool off.

Please tell how YOU stay cool in the summer.

Marenda Babcock, author of Frugal Times Newsletter takes these items with her on a bargain hunt:

• A map to locate the houses
• a canvas bag for personal items
• a tape measure to check clothing sizes and the length of curtains and furniture
• and a roll of quarters

She recommends wearing comfortable shoes, going on the first day, and arriving when the sale opens to find the best selection. Other recommendations:

1. When you arrive at the sale, scan it quickly for what you are looking for. If you aren’t sure you want an item, pick it up anyway. You can always put it back.
2. Take your time and look under tables, in corners, and at the bottom of piles.
3. Offer a lower price if you want to. Make it about 25 percent less, never half the asking price or less.
4. Sniff items. If books or stuffed toys smell bad, move on.
5. If you take your kids, give them money to shop. It’s good experience.
6. Take a drink and a snack with you so you don’t have to waste time between sales.
7. The last day of a sale can also be good because prices may be marked down.

For Your Own Yard Sale

• Advertise in newspapers; hang posters with directions in laundries and libraries, and post signs the day before the sale.
• Team up with friends. People love a four-family sale.
• Put large, attractive items near the curb, like a baby bed or lawn mower.
• Mark every item with a price. Have plenty of bags and lots of paper to wrap breakables.

To Discover How To Cut Your Expenses And Save Money, Without Feeling Punished go to our Frugal Living for Moms page.

Technically, peanuts belong to the legume family as do peas and green beans, but some people wonder whether peanuts should be in a food group of their own. In addition to protein, they contain vitamin E, niacin, riboflavin, and important minerals.

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity shows that eating peanuts is a valuable way to control hunger without weight gain.

Once considered only fit for animal feed, scientist George Washington Carver spent his life finding better uses for peanuts.

Try this easy recipe.

Peanut-Crusted Chicken

This is a variation of a popular Oriental dish, peanut pork. Peanut-encrusted chicken is high in protein, low in fat and has all natural ingredients.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets

1 cup salted peanuts

2 tablespoons Canola oil

4 tablespoons honey

Using a blender or coffee grinder, reduce the peanuts to a coarse mixture. Do not over grind or you will end up with dry peanut butter.

Lightly salt and pepper the chicken breast fillets and brush on a coating of honey for binding and flavor. Roll in the coarsely chopped peanuts and press the coating into the chicken with the back of a tablespoon.

Coat a deep frying pan with Canola oil and bring heat to high. Place the chicken in the skillet, reduce heat to half, and cook until golden brown, or about half an hour to 45 minutes.

This dish can also be baked, eliminating the use of the Canola oil. Bake the fillets at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until crusty brown on top. The dish can be sliced and served piping hot as an entree or it can be served with your favorite dipping sauce as an appetizer.

It may be difficult to find the time to be alone together, but it is important for the relationship and for the family that you make the time. Call up a friend to sit with your children (or that will let your children come stay with them) and offer to switch up the services on a regular basis. You can also seek the services of grandparents where it is available. By avoiding a sitter you will be able to take time together without having to break the bank. Here are five suggestions for things to do together - without the kids.

1. Take a day trip together. Check with your church or local clubs to see if they have any tours or events scheduled that the two of you might enjoy together. Be sure that you will have plenty of time to talk and enjoy each other’s company. Try to stay away from talk about kids, finances or home repairs.

2. Have a romantic dinner. Go to one of those places that will turn down the lights and that has candles on the table (and doesn’t even HAVE a kids’ menu). Take your time and enjoy each other’s company. Take the time to share a little dessert at the end of the meal.

3. Have a couple’s night out. You’ve heard of mom’s night or girl’s night or boy’s night. This is the same thing only with several couples instead. You can go to one couple’s house and play cards or just hang out, or you can go to a local restaurant and let someone wait on you for a change.

4. Go to a dance or take a dance lesson together. Ballroom (or couple) dancing is becoming more popular every year. Many dance studios host free (or inexpensive) dance parties during the week to try and encourage people to take their classes. You may also be able to find great dances listed in the “things to do” section of your local paper. If you prefer to take classes then you might want to look at your local community college or community center for inexpensive classes.

5. Get a room. It can be nice to rent a room (even if it is in the same town) at a Bed & Breakfast or nice hotel – with lots of in-room amenities. Just get away from the normal routine to a place where the two of you can truly be alone.

Making time for each other without the kids doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive. It only takes a little creativity to bring back the feelings and emotions you both had when you first started dating.

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions:

Place both flours into a large mixing bowl. Fold together. Add the flax seed and baking powder and blend. Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the sugar and mix well. Be sure all the ingredients are incorporated together. In a separate bowl place the 4 eggs and slightly beat with a whisk. Add the vanilla and milk and stir. Pour in the melted butter. Add the applesauce and mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Blend well so everything is moistened. Heat waffle iron. Pour the batter on the waffle iron and top with the nuts. Cook until brown.

1. Beach in a jar - This is a fun project for kids who have been to the beach recently and gathered seashells. Simply put some sand in the bottom of the jar, and add lots of shells and some driftwood. A larger shell can be glued to the lid for a finishing touch.

2. Lantern or candle holder - This is a good project for a glass jar of any size. The kids can use glass liner and paint to create a stained glass look, or they can add semi-transparent material such as tissue paper to the outside of the jar with Mod Podge. For a lantern, a handle can be made with string or wire.

3. Christmas lights in a jar - This can actually be used for a variety of occasions, or year round with the right kinds of potpourri. Simply place a layer of lights on the bottom (clear works best if it’s not for Christmas), put some potpourri on top, and repeat until you’ve used all of the lights, leaving the cord on the outside. Cover the top with a doily, secure with a rubber band, and tie some pretty ribbon around it.

4. Flower vase - Glass jars make charming vases. All that’s needed to spruce them up is some glass paint, and maybe some stick-on jewels. Dried flowers or pieces of fabric could also be added with Mod Podge. If the opening seems too large, and adult can cut a large hole in the lid and let the child cover it with ribbon.

5. Cake in a jar - Find a good cake recipe, and measure out the dry, non-perishable ingredients. Then add one ingredient to the jar at a time, and do not mix. This creates a nice layered look and gives the recipient most of the ingredients to make a delicious homemade cake. Write the recipe on a tag and attach it with ribbon.

6. Jar lamp - You can find jar lamp kits online that include the electrical parts. All your child has to do is put some paper shred in the bottom, add any items that he wants to the jar, and add a lampshade. You can find a decorative shade at a local discount store, or your child can use markers or fabric paint to decorate a plain one.

7. Bank - Jars make great banks. Simply cut a slot in the lid to put change in, and let your child decorate the outside as he chooses.

8. Jack-o-lantern jar - This is a great Halloween project. Cut shapes for the eyes, nose and mouth out of masking tape, and place them on the jar. Paint with orange paint, and remove tape when dry. Add a candle or small light to make it glow.

9. Candy jar - This can be decorated any way your child likes. Fill it with candy and give it as a gift, or keep it on the coffee table for guests to enjoy.

10. Planter - Put pebbles in the bottom of a small canning jar, then fill with potting soil. Plant herb or flower seeds, and put in the windowsill.

A spokesman for the Washington, D.C., subway system, which has 588 escalators, says they are seeing five or six incidents of shoe entrapment a week during summer. Most related injuries are minor, but toes could be amputated.

The Good Housekeeping Research Institute says shoes should be of a type that stays securely in place and completely encloses the foot. Leather is a good choice but so are sneakers as long as the laces are tied.

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Each one of us had at some point a depressing sad moment. Depression is a normal human reaction associated to a loss, with the tumult of everyday life or with an agitated sentimental life. Sometimes the sadness sensation passes but sometimes it doesn’t, it becomes more persistent and it can conduct to nervous breakdowns. The diseases of the nervous system are very serious and that is why it is important not to pass them by without proper help when we realize we can’t handle them by ourselves. Getting help is not only normal, but required also.
Here are some of the symptoms of depression:

• sadness
• loosing energy
• loosing hope in life and others
• not finding pleasant anymore the things you used to love
• having trouble concentrating
• uncontrolled crying
• headaches, other types of inexplicable aches and itches
• needing to sleep a lot or on the contrary not getting any sleep at all
• loosing appetite and loosing weight at the same time

These are just some of the symptoms of depression and if more of them are associated they are not to be ignored and a discussion with a close person or a specialist has to happen very soon.

What causes depression? There is not a single source that causes depression. This is a complex disease that can appear as a result of multiple causes. Depression can also be transmitted among persons that are close to each other, by influence.

There is proof that people suffering of depression suffer brain changes. There is also proof that explain how depression can also be genetic. Children affected by the depression of their parents or parents whose children suffer from chronic depression are more likely to be affected themselves by this illness.

Kelly at Moms Talk Network put together a very nice resource for moms and depression. Take a look and learn how to deal with your depression or that of a loved one.

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There are variations, but usually a container is filled with trinkets and a logbook for finders to sign. The latitude and longitude of the cache are posted on the Internet and the hunt is on.

GPS considers the destination to make decisions. It uses local topology information to find routes quickly.

The most popular Website for locations is geocaching.com also called Groundspeak. You just enter your zip code or address information to find caches near you. Many are hidden in suburban areas but others are in the wilderness.

When you find the cache, you sign the logbook and, if you wish, you take out a knickknack. When you remove a trinket, you are expected to replace it with a new treasure. It should be equal in value to the one taken. When trading, don’t leave food or items that smell and may attract animals.

To play, you have to have a GPS. You download the latitude and longitude into your instrument. Experienced players suggest you input the coordinates directly into your computer and then into the GPS. Doing it manually could result in a mistake that will take you far afield.

The GPS can take you to within 15 to 20 feet of the cache. Then you have to search. Caches are hidden but clues can be piles of brush, rocks, leaves or other debris. It is always wise to check tree stumps, logs and hollow tree trunks.

Always protect the environment. Do not go geocaching on private or public lands without permission. Be careful not to trample vegetation or damage habitat. Play responsibly.

If you have pet allergies, you’re probably already aware of them. Did you know, however, that certain pet shampoos could decrease or increase these sensitivities? Likewise, many carpet deodorizers, particularly those that contain talc, can heighten allergies, as well as allergy-induced asthma. Many veterinary clinics and animal specialty stores offer pet-related merchandise specifically for owners who are sensitive to pet dander or chemicals used in animal care items.

Many people are also sensitive to dust or dust mites. While removing this dust is necessary, many dusting and furniture polishes contain aerosols or other compounds that increase sensitivities to allergies. Usually, dusting with a damp cloth once weekly is sufficient to remove dust without harming your furniture. If your allergies are very severe, you may want to consider delegating this job to another member of the family.

Recently, office supply companies and home department stores have been selling aerosolized products designed to purge dust from computer towers and other locations that are hard to reach. If you have respiratory allergies, do not use these products; they have caused numerous severe allergy-induced asthma attacks. If these products must be used in your home, let someone else do this job, and leave your home while they are being used. In addition, be sure the room is well ventilated, and allow the product to dissipate completely before returning home or re-entering the room.

Be aware, as well, that aerosolized dust removers can be lethal to children and adolescents. These items are becoming popularly used as inhalants, for ‘getting high’, by schoolchildren. Furthermore, these aerosols remain in the air sacs of the lungs much longer than other commonly used inhalants or ‘huffing’ drugs. As the number of fatalities continues to rise steadily, manufacturers may be required to significantly restrict the sale or distribution of these products. If you have children in your home, consider whether having these chemicals around is really worth the risk.

Another home allergen is hiding in your laundry room. Many people know of their sensitivities to laundry detergents. Are you aware, though, that fabric softeners cause nearly as many allergic reactions as laundry soap? The synthetic chemicals from these items attach to clothing and are worn throughout the day, creating constant exposure for people with respiratory allergies.

Did you know you can purchase reusable fabric softening balls that do not contain chemicals? These balls are placed in the dryer with each load of laundry. They reduce static cling and soften clothing fabric without causing allergic reactions. They are an inexpensive, effective way to quickly reduce your exposure to domestic allergens.

Explore possible causes of allergies in your home. Eliminate or reduce them. If you and your family do not have allergies, know that people can develop sensitivities with repeated exposure to allergens. Protect your family from future allergies by decreasing their exposure!

This article sponsored by PebbleArt’s line of naturally absorbent sandstone drink coasters