Beech Tree News Network

In the winter, I take more time to read than in the summer months. My recent reading has been without much of a pattern. Some of that random information is included below:

Wedding and Baby Showers
Last week, I attended a baby shower just outside Springfield, Tennessee, and had a very pleasant afternoon. Afterward, I searched for a historical explanation of “showers.”
•    Wikipedia reported that wedding showers were to provide goods and financial assistance to ensure that the wedding might take place, growing out of the dowry and hope chest customs of the past. Some have speculated that the term shower may have originated from the Victorian custom of putting presents inside a parasol to "shower" the bride-to-be with gifts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridal_shower).
•    The modern baby shower started after WWII. Baby showers provided the mother-to-be with material goods to lessen the financial burden of infant care. Today, the social rituals are similar, all wishing the best for mother and child (http://www.randomhistory.com/2008/11/01_baby.html).

Kitchen Germs
The Daily News recently included an article about ways to reduce kitchen germs: “Five ways to make a kitchen more germ-free” (February 1, 2015, 15C). Generally, we know to watch for cross-contamination between meats and vegetables, to cook foods thoroughly, and to keep foods sufficiently cold; but, other kitchen germ-prone areas may not be as familiar.
•    Areas prone to contamination may include the area under removable plastic gaskets of storage container lids and around blender gaskets and blades. The article recommended cleaning and drying the parts after each use. Similarly, can openers, spatulas, and utensil holders should also be cleaned.
•    The article suggested cleaning the refrigerator meat and vegetable compartments every two to four weeks.
•    Refrigerator water dispensers and coffee machine reservoirs should be cleaned monthly (white vinegar, then two water cycles before regular use).

Winter Weight Gain
Some say that Americans gain about a pound a year during the winter that they don’t lose later in the year. January and February are particularly hard months for me to keep from gaining weight. According to research, several factors contribute to winter weight gain (http://www.fitbie.com/lose-weight/tips/7-surprising-reasons-winter-weigh...). 
•    People who get less than five hours of sleep are 50 percent more likely to be obese than those who sleep seven to nine hours a night.
•    A cold may contribute to weight gain.
•    Eating in a warmer temperature is better at leveling food cravings: women who ate in a room kept at 81 degrees rated themselves as 20 percent less hungry and ate 10 percent less than those in a 72-degree room.
•    People are 57 percent more likely to be obese if they have a friend who is overweight and 37 percent more likely if their spouse is overweight.
•    People who stress about such things as work, paying off bills, and relationships gain more weight than those who don’t. Not only do higher stress levels trigger the body to accumulate belly fat, but one is also less attentive to health issues.

Each of these readings has been related to something I’ve questioned. As Alfred Sheinwold said, “Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won't have time to make them all yourself” (http://www.quotegarden.com/experience.html). I’m not sure the information will change my behavior, but I’ve definitely been entertained.