Healthy Halloween Treats

By Rose Kreller of Medi-Waste Disposal

All children anticipate Halloween.  The costumes, parties and candy!  Rethinking the Halloween menu can add to the nutritional value of food and avoid risk of cavities and obesity, while still having fun.

HalloweenParty Treats

Halloween parties are an ideal way to keep kids safe, get to know your kids’ friends and control the amount of sugar dis consume.  Serve sweets such as cupcakes and candy in moderation.  Add in healthy snacks such as fruit and veggie trays and popcorn. 

Some fun homemade treats include:

•          Spider Web Pizza – use whole grain English muffins, tomato sauce, string cheese and strips of peppers
•          Apple Jack-O-Lanterns – Older children can carve out faces in apples
•          Mummy Dogs – Wrap turkey hot dogs in pop biscuits
•          Witches Brew – Serve 100% juice with seltze4r water.  Serve with a gummy worm wrapped around a straw.

Store Bought Treats

Use only prepackaged treats for those coming to your door.  Individually wrapped packages of pretzels, sugar free gum, juice boxes or snack crackers are a better option.  Also try nonfood items such as pencils, stickers or temporary tattoos.

Midwest Medical Waste, Inc.

PO Box 416
Manhattan, KS 66505

medimidwest.com
Office: 785-539-MEDI (6334)
Toll Free: 855-631-MEDI (6334)
info@medimidwest.com

Is My Hotel Room Clean?

By Rose Kreller of Medi-Waste Disposal

While traveling, the hotel is your home away from home.  It’s nice to have someone cleaning your room, adding linens and making your bed while you are out and about, but a neatly made bed and fresh towels does not always equal a germ free room.

The uncleanliness of a hotel room may not put your life in danger, yet it could affect your health, and state of mind while traveling.  Studies show that germs lurk in places like light switches, remotes and telephone key pads.  Here are a few tips to help you sleep moresoundly on your next adventure.

Read Reviews.  There are no international standards for hotel cleanliness.  Price, location or brand name will not guarantee a sanitary room.  Find out what fellow travelers are saying on web reviews.  TripAdvisor, Expedia, AAA are all resources to look at prior to booking a hotel.  If you specific concerns, call the hotel management and solicit information about their sanitation standards and if they belong to International Housekeeper’s Association. 

Upon arrival, assess the appearance of the hotel.  Groomed landscaping, trash free walkways, shiny mopped floors, clean carpets and organized brochure shelves indicate cleanliness is a priority.  Examine your room for mold, hair and grime in the bathroom.  Check glassware for fingerprints, soap residue or lipstick remnants.  Check refrigerators and drawers for other guests left behind items, indicating poor cleaning.

Washing hands might sound trivial, but it has been proven to reduce the transfer of cold and flu viruses, and prevent the spread of bacteria from whatever you are touching.

Fling off the bedspread, as they are often not laundered after each guest like towels and sheets.  

Examine under the mattress for reddish brown spots indicating bug infestation.  Call the front desk immediately if you have concerns.

It is not a bad idea to rinse glassware with hot water before using, just to be sure it is clean.  Also, bringing along a spray sanitizer or disinfectant and spraying a few frequently touched surfaces and greatly enhance cleanliness.  Sanitizing wipes are good for remotes, phones and doorknobs. 

It is always good to bring along hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes when traveling.  If you still have concerns about cleanliness and germs, travel with your own sheets, towels and blankets.

Midwest Medical Waste, Inc.

PO Box 416
Manhattan, KS 66505

medimidwest.com
Office: 785-539-MEDI (6334)
Toll Free: 855-631-MEDI (6334)
info@medimidwest.com

Laundry Tips Everyone Should Know

By Rose Kreller of Medi-Waste Disposal 

Everyone knows someone in your life who just seems to know all the tricks and hints to make laundry and clothing care easier.  Lots of articles exist on stain removal, detergent selection etc.  Here are some tips that are just little nuggets of wisdom that will amaze you and impress your friends, maybe even your mom!

•  Before wearing/washing a new garment, put a little clear nail polish on the front and back of the button where it is stitched.  Buttons will stay on longer when their threads are sealed.
•  Zippers are less likely to stick if you rub them with the edge of a bar of soap.
•  To remove a crease in a garment or hem, sponge the material wit distilled white vinegar and press with a warm iron.
•  When laundering, add detergent to the washer first.  Pouring detergent on clothing can cause fabrics to fade.
•  Avoid getting perfume, aftershave or hair spray on leather.  It may ruin the finish or color.
•  Wash nylon clothing after every wearing.  Nylon is very hard to clean once it becomes heavily soiled.  Rinse off any oily stains immediately after they happen.
•  Knit garments are best stored folded on a shelf or in a drawer.  Hanging knits can cause them to stretch out of shape.
•  If adding bleach to wash, wait about 5 minutes into agitation.  This gives detergent time to remove soil then bleach can do the whitening.
•  Turn clothes inside out before laundering to keep the right side looking its best.
•  A yard of nylon net or some shower net scrubbing balls will act as a lint catcher in the dryer.  Just add with the wet clothes.
•  Forgot to add fabric softener to the wash, and you’re out of dryer sheet??  Make your own dryer sheet by pouring a bit of fabric softener into a bowl of water.  Swish a washcloth in the solution.  Wring it out and toss in the dryer with wet clothes.
•  If you don’t have a mesh laundry bag for washing delicates, place them in a pillowcase and fasten the loose end with a bag tie or shoelace.
•  To speed up the ironing process, place a strip of heavy duty aluminum foil over the length of the ironing board.  Cover with ironing pad.  The heat will reflect through the underside of your garment and help you finish more quickly.
•  To reduce wrinkles in clothing, thoroughly wet a hand towel with water.  Wring out excess water and toss in the dryer with wrinkled items.  Dry on high for about 5 minutes.  Removed clothes and hand to dry.
•  Most everything can be washed in cold water, but use the hottest water possible for sheets, towels and underwear.  Take special care with undergarments, putting them in the dryer as soon as possible to stop bacteria growth while they sit camp in the washer. 

Midwest Medical Waste, Inc.

PO Box 416
Manhattan, KS 66505

medimidwest.com
Office: 785-539-MEDI (6334)
Toll Free: 855-631-MEDI (6334)
info@medimidwest.com

Finding The Fountain of Youth

By Rose Kreller of Medi-Waste Disposal 

There are lots of wrinkle creams, eye serums and other anti-aging skin care products available to help reduce the signs of aging.  To create a truly effective anti-aging skin care plan, however, it helps to start with healthy skin care habits.

Healthy skin care habits can help:

    *prevent a blotchy complexion

    *retains skin’s youthful firmness longer

    *reduce fine lines and wrinkles

    *avoid leathery skin

    *reduce the risk of skin cancer

Anti-aging skin care tips include:

•   Apply moisturizer every day.  As we age, the skin becomes drier.  Fine lines and wrinkle appear.  Moisturizer traps water in our skin giving it a more youthful appearance. 
•  Cleanse daily.  Washing your face with a gentle cleanser improves appearance.  Avoid scrubbing the skin though.
• Stop smoking.  Tobacco smoke contains toxins and continuous exposure to it results in a dull and dry complexion.  Skin also loses its firmness forming premature lines and wrinkles.
• Eat healthy.  A healthy diet promotes healthy skin, this includes fruits, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats.
•  Get enough sleep.  It’s called ‘beauty rest’ for a reason.  Sleep gives your body time to refresh and renew itself. Protecting skin from the sun.  Sun protection is the foundation of every anti-aging skin care plan.  The sun’s rays make our skin age more quickly.  There is lots of evidence that sun prematurely ages our skin; we call this photoaging.  To avoid this, seek shade and avoid the sun between 10am and 4pm, cover up with hats, long sleeves and sunglasses, and be sure to wear sunscreen every day with an SPF of 30 or higher.
• Avoid indoor tanning with sun lamps or tanning beds. 

Midwest Medical Waste, Inc.

PO Box 416
Manhattan, KS 66505

medimidwest.com
Office: 785-539-MEDI (6334)
Toll Free: 855-631-MEDI (6334)
info@medimidwest.com

The West Nile Virus

By Rose Kreller of Medi-Waste Disposal 

West Nile virus is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) most commonly spread by infected mosquitoes.  West Nile virus can cause febrile illness, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord). 

Most people who get West Nile virus are infected by the bite of an infected mosquito.  Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds.  Infected mosquitoes can then spread the virus to humans and other animals.

Typically people get infected with West Nile virus from June through September.

West Nile virus disease cases have been reported from all 48 lower states.  The only states that have not reported cases are Alaska and Hawaii.  The weather, numbers of birds that maintain the virus, numbers of mosquitoes that spread the virus and human behavior are all factors that an influence when and where outbreaks occur.

Avoiding exposure to mosquitoes is the best way to avoid getting West Nile virus.  The CDC also recommends doing the following to reduce your risk of mosquito bites:

• Use repellents with Deet, Picardin, IR3535 oroil of lemon eucalyptus
• Take extra care during peak mosquito biting hours.  Use repellent and wear protective clothing from dusk to dawn.
• Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside.
• Help reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, utters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires and birdbaths on a regular basis.

Midwest Medical Waste, Inc.

PO Box 416
Manhattan, KS 66505

medimidwest.com
Office: 785-539-MEDI (6334)
Toll Free: 855-631-MEDI (6334)
info@medimidwest.com

How to Stop Eating Junk Food

By Rose Kreller of Medi-Waste Disposal 

Junk food is tempting but can have dangerous consequences. Here are some tips on how to quit snacking on the junk.

1.  Plan ahead.  There is no better way to handle cravings than to plan your meals and snacks ahead of time.  If you eat healthy throughout the day, you are less likely to grab some junk food.  Try to plan your week’s meals on Sunday, or at least the day before you busy week starts.  Use food storage containers to pack serving sizes that you can grab in the morning
2. Shop the perimeter.  The perimeter of the grocery store typically includes the produce, dairy, meat and fish sections.  This is where you find the “real” foods rather than processed foods.  Eating from these foods will give your body the nutrients it needs, so your cravings for other foods decreases.
3. Eat healthy fats.  Your body needs fat.  However, there are many types of fats.  Avoid trans-fat and limit the amount of saturated fat.  Nuts and avocados are heart healthy fats that help you feel full and reduce cravings.
4. Eat enough protein.  Protein makes you feel full.  Look for healthy sources of protein including fish, beans, nuts, lean meats or cheese.  If you feel full, there is less desire for junk food.
5. Try fruit.  Fruit does have sugar, but it also has vitamins, antioxidants, water and fiber.  These tend to help balance your blood sugar.  If you are craving something sweet, grab a bowl of berries.
6. Taste the rainbow.  Add new and different foods to your diet.  The more varied your diet, the less likely you will get bored and crave junk food.
7. Think about junk food differently.  A 2013 study showed that when people were trained to look at and interpret one of their most craved junk foods in negative light, their desire for it lessened.  Tell yourself you are full, save the item for later, think of the negative consequences of eating the food (weight gain, etc.).  The mind is more powerful than you might think!
8. Focus on adding healthy foods.  Focusing on the positive side of eating healthy is more effective than focusing on the need to remove junk food.  The more healthy foods you eat, the easier it will be to crowd out the unhealthy ones.
9. Work on stress management.  There is almost always an emotional component behind cravings.  Consider how you may be eating as a way to alter feelings, procrastinate or distract yourself.  Practice redirecting yourself when you feel the urge to reach for food instead of what needs to be done.
10. Get more sleep.  Lack of sleep can has effects on your mood and energy level, but it also plays a role in junk food cravings.  Studies show that sleep restriction resulted in more hunger and less ability to control intake of snacks.  

Midwest Medical Waste, Inc.

PO Box 416
Manhattan, KS 66505

medimidwest.com
Office: 785-539-MEDI (6334)
Toll Free: 855-631-MEDI (6334)
info@medimidwest.com

Tips for Better Flips

By Rose Kreller of Medi-Waste Disposal

Wow!  Look At All The Benefits of Gymnastics

We have all watched Olympic gymnasts and been amazed at their strength, flexibility, balance and control. 

Gymnastics at all levels has health benefits for kids.

•  Flexibility.  Flexibility is a key factor in gymnastics.  Increasing your flexibility can be effective to reduce injury and gain greater control of the body.
• Disease prevention.  Gymnastics can help prevent health conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.  It helps encourage a healthy lifestyle.
• Gymnastics is a weight bearing activity, and that can help to develop strong bones.
• Several studies show that children who participate in physical activity, like gymnastics are likely to have better self-esteem
• The American Heart Association suggests children participate in 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Participating in gymnastics helps meet this recommendation.
• Gymnastics not only offers physical gain, but also improves concentration and mental focus.  Gymnasts also gain improved coordination to be better equipped to avoid falls.
•  In children, gymnastics also provides an opportunity to develop social skills and instill self-discipline. 

Midwest Medical Waste, Inc.

PO Box 416
Manhattan, KS 66505

medimidwest.com
Office: 785-539-MEDI (6334)
Toll Free: 855-631-MEDI (6334)
info@medimidwest.com