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Hello From The Organic Mechanic |
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| Green Car Care
You know that we do everything we can here at the Organic Mechanic to make sure that our actions don't harm the environment and that we are using products that support a sustainable future for everyone. So this month, since the weather will be getting better and everyone will want to get the grime and grit off the outside and out of the inside of their vehicles, here are a few choices for doing that in an eco-friendly way! With all the toxic chemicals in other products working against the earth, each and every person that contributes by using organic car care products helps.
We also try to use products that are made here in the U.S. and therefore, we are featuring the Simple Green line of products for your car, truck, boat, or motorcycle. Simple Green’s American-made products are biodegradable, non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-flammable, and VOC compliant. You can rest assured that both the earth and your vehicle are being taken care of when using their products from de-greasers and car wash concentrate to their products for cleaning and refreshing aluminum and steel. Plus, they even have a gentle but effective de-greaser for your hands when you are tinkering with your own vehicle too. Check out all their reasonably priced products at their website: www.simplegreen.com.
There are other companies that are beginning to offer similar environmentally friendly products specifically for degreasing and cleaning vehicles and around the garage, and we encourage you to use your favorites. If you have a product that you find especially great, let us know! We’d love to spread the word on those too.
Check out our latest money-saving offer below. You can schedule your next regular maintenance appointment with us online or call 828.255.2628 for fast, friendly and reliable service.
Working Toward a Healthy and Peaceful World for All,
Charley, Kate, Doug, Nicki, Jason, Jacquie, John and Josey!
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Foods Banned in Europe – But Still Available in the U.S.
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Genetically Modified Foods - The European Union has come under constant attack from many companies that either distribute or produce genetically modified foods, however, the suspicion and restrictions in most cases are still warranted due to the negative human health effects still being discovered. Amid this controversy is also the very real threat of contamination of non-GMO crops world-wide. Even with the lack of sufficient research and understanding about GMO crops and foods, they are still being sold in the U.S. and in most cases without proper labeling identifying them as ingredients or as whole foods.
Bovine Growth Hormone - This drug, known as rBGH for short, is still used in dairy products in the U.S. and several citizen’s and consumer protection groups are still struggling for laws that allow hormone-free labeling so that consumers have a choice. This should be an easy black-and-white decision for all regulators but pressure from the dairy and chemical lobbyists are keeping this from becoming law.
Chlorinated Chickens - Amid cries that eating American chickens washed in chlorine is bad for human and environmental health, the EU has extended the ban of chicken from the U.S. However, that does raise the question of why chlorine is still allowed here in the states and what it means for overall health issues.
Stevia – This is a natural sweetener and has recently been approved as a food additive in the United States under the less stringent dietary supplement laws. Japanese people have been using stevia for over thirty years, however, the E.U. bans are still in place supported by research that points to fertility disturbances and a few other health impacts found in animal testing. However, this plant-based sweetener has been credited with positive health effects stemming from its lower calorie count.
Food Dyes – In recent years, food dyes previously recognized as safe synthetics are now suspected of contributing to attention deficit disorder or ADD. The United Kingdom and its partners in the E.U. are evaluating these findings and are now considering banning these: Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, and Red 3 are among the food colors associated with hyperactivity.
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Elephants and their Shocking Math Abilities
Much research has been conducted by animal behaviorists in the past few decades on the languages and communications skills of elephants. It has also been found that they have a very complex social structure that identifies the elders or leaders and the roles that each and every member of their family group understands and respects. They have also discovered that the elephants matriarchs of Amboseli National Park in Kenya learn to recognize at least 100 other unseen elephants by voice alone.
The Sussex team also observed behavior that led them to wonder whether the Amboseli elephants can discriminate between different human languages, specifically the Maa language of the Masai, the language of the Kamba people, and the English they hear spoken by the region’s tourists. Informal observations have shown an anxious, tense reaction to Maa, and a calm, relaxed reaction to English, but the Sussex researchers explain that it is still too early to know for sure, as they have just begun controlled study of the elephants’ reactions to recordings.
In Japan, a team of animal behaviorists have found that elephants have the ability to distinguish between two similar quantities of objects. Elephants outperformed monkeys, apes, and even human children when tested on their aptitude for recognizing the difference between two quantities of objects — for example five from six. Primates and children are capable of identifying the difference between smaller numbers of objects but are limited when it comes to discriminating between larger numbers. In contrast, the elephants involved in the study were equally good at telling five from six as one from two.
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Some Suggestions for a Better Night’s Sleep
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We are a sleep-starved nation. About 60 million Americans suffer from insomnia, and according to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly seven out of ten reported frequent sleeping problems, even though most remain undiagnosed. This should be alarming to many of us. As Stanford University “sleepdebt” expert William C. Dement, MD, PhD, warns: “Lost sleep accumulates as a debt that must be repaid or health eventually deteriorates.” This year, the Institute of Medicine released a report linking sleep disorders and sleep deprivation to a host of ills, including an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke.Our daily dose of deep restful and regenerative sleep regulates our weight, strengthens our immunity, protects our cardiovascular health, repairs our tissues and cells, and restores our energy. Sleep also allows us to process, consolidate, and retain new memories; it balances our emotions, makes us better problem solvers, and feeds our creativity.
Here are a few things to you might want to add to your pre-sleep regimen if you are having trouble getting all the restful sleep you need:
Nutmeg: Nutmeg is “one of the best medicines for calming the mind.” This common kitchen spice helps reduce balance the chemistry of the colon and nervous system and promotes sound sleep. You can add it to a cup of warm milk as a nightcap. Add up to 1/8 teaspoon which boosts the sleep-inducing amino acid called tryptophan found in the milk.
Yoga: Regular yoga practice not only improves your overall health in the waking hours it is also good to do a few stretches and poses before bedtime as well. Yoga helps to circulate lymph hormones and blood circulation that balances both the endocrine and nervous systems and paves the way for a good night’s sleep.
Take a Hot Bath: It removes the day’s residue, relaxes the muscles, soothes the mind, and induces sleep. Try adding magnesium-rich Epsom Salts to help remove toxins in the skin that have built up over the day.
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$10.00 OFF
YOUR CHOICE OF SERVICE:
Use This Money Savings for Your Next Oil Change, Tune Up, or Repair
Call today 828-255-2628 to make an appointment.
Offer Expires April 10, 2010
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Mindbender Mansion
Feb 22, 2010 to May 05, 2010
Time: 10:00 AM-05:00 PM
Location: The Health Adventure at Pack Place
2 South Pack Square
Asheville , NC 28801
Enter the wonderfully puzzling world of Mindbender Mansion, an eclectic place full of brainteasers and interactive challenges guaranteed to test the brain power and problem solving skills of even the most experienced puzzlers. Visitors to this fun and quirky mansion are invited to join the Mindbender Society by gathering hidden clues and secret passwords scattered throughout the various thematic rooms of the house. The clues and passwords are revealed by solving select brainteasers and group challenges. Visitors are encouraged to think outside the box and collaborate with their fellow mansion guests to meet individual and group challenges, which include manipulating a tilt table, forming patterns in rolling chairs, keeping up with a conveyer belt, maneuvering a flying machine, and disco hopscotch spelling. Adults, families, children and school groups alike will enjoy exercising their minds as they try to master each of the 40 individual brainteasers and the five large-scale group activities in this fun and unconventional exhibit! Click here to learn more |
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Broccoli and Tofu Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 2 crowns broccoli, cut into florets
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 8 ounces extra firm tofu, diced
- 2 tablespoons cashew pieces
Directions
- Heat peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in garlic and cook for a few seconds until it begins to brown. Add the bell pepper and broccoli; cook until the pepper begins to brown and soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, and cornstarch until dissolved. Pour the sauce into the wok and bring to a boil. Stir in the tofu, and cook until hot, about 1 minute. Garnish with cashew pieces to serve.
Nutritional Information:
Amount Per Serving- Calories: 153 | Total Fat: 8.5g | Cholesterol: 1mg |
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