Do You Know What Is In Your Food Part V

Carmine

What it is: Yup, insects again in your food. When it comes to food, insects are handy for other things besides their shine. They’re good for color too, especially red. Carmine is a red food-coloring that comes from boiled cochineal bugs, which are a type of beetle.

There have been reports that the bug-based coloring can cause severe allergic reactions in some people, including potentially life-threatening anaphylactic reactions, so the FDA now requires that the ingredient be listed clearly on food and cosmetic labels.

Where you’ll find it: Carmine can be found in ice cream, Skittles, Good n’ Plenty, lemonade, and grapefruit juice.

Gross-out factor: High if you’re a vegan, medium for the rest of us

Propylene Glycol

What it is: This chemical is found in antifreeze, it’s true. But, says Milkowski, “it’s a very, very safe material.” In fact, it’s much safer than a kissing cousin, ethylene glycol, which is particularly toxic to dogs.

Propylene glycol has lubricating properties which aid in making spice concentrates, not to mention condoms. And if you need good mixing in food, this is your compound. “You’ll find things that don’t mix well in water do disperse well in propylene glycol,” says Milkowski.

Where you’ll find it: Sodas, salad dressing, and beer

Gross-out factor: Medium

Cellulose

What it is: Cellulose, derived mainly from wood pulp and cotton, is used in paper ­manufacturing—and sometimes added to food.

Where you’ll find it: Cellulose is added to shredded cheese to keep the strands from sticking together, and also can be found in ice cream. It’s found naturally in corn. Cellulose is “is very innocuous material,” says Milkowsi. “Humans can’t digest it.”

Gross-out factor: Low

Carrageenan

What it is: Do you eat seaweed? If you said no, prepare for a surprise, because carageenan is everywhere. Extracted from seaweed, carrageenan is a gel used as a thickening agent and emulsifier (keeps food from separating.)

Where you’ll find it: May be injected into raw chicken or other meat as a way to retain water, as well as in dairy products like cottage cheese and ice cream. Chocolate milk often contains carrageenan to keep the cocoa from separating from the milk.

Gross-out factor: Low

Liquid Smoke

What it is: We worry about smoking and eating too much smoky barbecue. We also wonder, what exactly is liquid smoke, anyway? Liquid smoke is made by burning sawdust and capturing the components in either water or a vegetable oil, explains Milkowski.

Where you’ll find it: The resulting product can be purchased and added to sauces and other foods to give it that—yes—smoky flavor. If you’re used to cooking on an open fire, this might not seem all that gross to you, and manufacturers certainly don’t shy away from it. Liquid Smoke is also added to barbecue products, baked beans, hot dogs, bacon, and beef jerky, among others.

Gross-out factor: Low

Do You Know What Is In Your Food Part IV

Sodium Benzoate

What it is: Did you ever take a slug of soda or juice and feel a tingling sensation in your throat? That may be sodium benzoate. This common preservative is also generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA, meaning it shouldn’t pose a hazard. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t avoid it: a 2007 study published in The Lancet found that a mixture of sodium benzoate and food dyes was linked to hyperactive behavior in children, although it was hard to tell if the dyes or the preservative were to blame.

Where you’ll find it: Soft drinks and other carbonated beverages, fruit juices and jams, salad dressings, condiments, and pickles.

Gross-out factor: Medium

Antibiotics

What it is: People take antibiotics to kill germs. Livestock get antibiotics because they grow bigger and faster—and thus are more lucrative.

Where you’ll find it: “The main concern about overuse of antibiotics in livestock production is the growing problem of antibiotic resistance,” says Lovera. Researchers are concerned about antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the overall environment and in livestock facilities.

But foodborne illnesses can result from resistant bacteria in food, including a ground turkey recall in 2011 (resistant salmonella) as well as a 2012 ground beef recall (also salmonella).

Gross-out factor: High

Silicon Dioxide (Sand)

What it is: Silicon dioxide is what gets in your bathing suit and your hair at the beach. Affectionately known as sand, it’s also found in food. “It’s used in a lot of things as a flow agent and partly because it does a nice job of absorbing a little bit of atmospheric humidity that would cause clumping in a variety of things,” says Milkowski. Swallowing a little sand at the shore probably never hurt you and it probably won’t hurt you at the dinner table either.

Where you’ll find it: Salts, soups, and coffee creamer.

Gross-out factor: Low

Do You Know What Is In Your Food Part III

Ammonia

What it is: Ammonia is a strong smelling chemical found in household cleaning products, but it’s also used as gas to kill germs in low-grade fatty beef trimmings.

“The trim (of animal meat) is prone to having more bacteria on it,” Lovera explains. “They use ammonia as a kill step to deal with the bacteria during processing.”

Where you’ll find it: This controversial practice started around 2001, and the resulting product—sometimes called pink slime—is used as a filler in ground beef. Which will lead to the next one

Gross-out factor: High

Pink Slime

What it is: Pink slime is a product derived from the bits of meat clinging to fat, which are separated out by melting the fat away and spinning in a centrifuge.

The result is a pinkish substance called lean finely textured beef that’s treated with ammonia gas to kill germs, and then added to ground beef as a filler. Lots of ground beef, as in 10 billion pounds per year.

Where you’ll find it: Recent furor over the concoction has caused companies like Wendy’s and McDonald’s to report that their hamburgers are pink slime-free and some supermarkets like Safeway and Wegmans to say they will no longer carry it. Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program now have the option of ordering beef without it, according to the USDA.

Gross-out factor: High

Bisphenol A (BPA)

What it is: Though the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, has been removed from most hard plastics (including baby bottles and sippy cups), it can still be found in the sealant in the lining of some cans, says Lovera.

Where you’ll find it: “This can be especially problematic with acidic foods like tomatoes,” she says. “The concern is that it leaks into foods.”

BPA has been linked to brain, behavior and prostate problems, especially in fetuses and children.

Gross-out factor: High

Castoreum

What it is: Brace yourself—this food flavoring is extracted from the castor sac scent glands of the male or female beaver, which are located near the anus. According to Milkowski, the substance is pretty expensive (think about what it probably takes to obtain it) and is more common in perfume than in actual foods.

Where you’ll find it: While it sounds downright disgusting, the FDA says it’s GRAS, meaning it’s “generally recognized as safe.” You won’t see this one on the food label because it’s generally listed as “natural flavoring.” It’s natural all right—naturally icky.

Gross-out factor: Medium

Do You Know What Is In Your Food Part II

Shellac

What it is: Candy lovers, cover your eyes: pretty, shiny treats like jelly beans come at a price. They’re often coated with shellac, a sticky substance derived from secretions of the female Kerria lacca, an insect native to Thailand.

Where you’ll find it: Shellac makes jelly beans, candy corn, and other hard-coated candy look shiny. It may be called a “confectioner’s glaze” on the packaging.

Gross-out factor: Low

Saltwater Injections

What it is: Saltwater is fine in the ocean, but injected into food? Believe it! Too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure and other health problems, so less is better. But in a practice called plumping, manufacturers inject salt and other ingredients into raw meat (mostly chicken) to enhance flavor and increase the weight of the meat before it’s sold.

Where you’ll find it: In packaged meat, and you should avoid it! Check the fine print and the nutrition facts label. Meat that’s been injected may say “flavored with up to 10% of a solution” or “up to 15% chicken broth.” Regular chicken has about 40 to 70 mg of sodium per 4-ounce serving, while plumped chicken can contain 5 times or more than that amount, or 300 mg and up.

Gross-out factor: High, for health reasons

Viruses

What it is: Don’t viruses make us sick? Well yes, but bacteriophages —tiny bacteria-killing viruses—actually help us by making bacteria sick. First approved for use on food in 2006, bacteriophages infect food-contaminating germs, not humans, says Milkowski.

Where you’ll find it: Manufacturers spray these on ready-to-eat meat and deli products that are sold in sealed plastic pouches. The bacteriophage products come in two types: One that combats E. coli and the other Listeria bacteria. (Only the second is used on food; the first is used to spray cattle.) Check the ingredient list for the words “bacteriophage preparation.”

Gross-out factor: Low

Do You Know What Is In Your Food Part I

(This five part series is from an article that was place on Yahoo.com with some of my additions)

News about gross-out ingredients like pink slime and ammonia (more about both later) got us thinking: What other surprises lurk in the food we eat? We put that question to food safety as well as food manufacturing experts, and it turns out all kinds of things go into refined and processed foods that you wouldn’t willingly put in your mouth. Here’s a few…read at your own risk!

That’s not to say it isn’t safe to eat. The Food and Drug Administration and other agencies spend lots of time and energy to make sure you’re not eating stuff that will kill you. But the idea that something seems “just plain wrong” often isn’t part of the calculation.

Here’s a list of food ingredients that rate high in the yuck factor as some may consider. Again read at your own risk

Gelatin

What it is: Vegetarians prepare to be shocked! The same stuff that puts the jiggle in Jello and other gelatin-based products is derived from collagen, a protein often collected from animal skins.

The source varies depending on the type of food, says Andrew L. Milkowsi, PhD, adjunct professor of animal sciences at the University of Wisconsin Madison. The gelatin in desserts, for instance, comes mainly from pig skin.

Where you’ll find it: Gelatin, which is a thickening agent, can also be found in frosted cereals, yogurt, candy, and some types of sour cream. (Check the label.)

Gross-out factor: High for vegetarians, low for everyone else.

Mechanically Separated Meat

What it is: Mechanically separated meat is what’s left over after the meat clinging to the bones of chicken or pork are forced through a sieve-like structure using high pressure. “It looks like a paste or batter,” says Sarah A. Klein, a staff attorney with the Food Safety Program at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “You have crushed bits of bone and cartilage and other things that can end up in that final paste.”

Because of the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease, mechanically separated beef is no longer allowed in human food.

Where you’ll find it: Some hot dogs and other products (again, check the label), A reason I don’t care for hot dogs and SPAM

Gross-out factor: High

Carbon Monoxide

What it is: We have carbon monoxide detectors in our homes for a reason: this odorless gas can be deadly. But the same stuff that comes from the exhaust pipe of your vehicle is also used in packaging ground beef and some fish like tilapia and tuna. It helps them retain their youthful blush, says Patty Lovera, assistant director of Food & Water Watch.

Where you’ll find it: Carbon monoxide is injected into plastic wrap after all the air is sucked out to block the process of oxidation that can turn pink meat brown. The process is considered safe for humans although it isn’t widely used anymore, says Lovera. Consumer groups have objected to the treatment’s potential to mask meat spoilage.

Gross-out factor: Medium

7 Tips for Financing Your Business

7 Tips for Financing Your Business
David Solís
Bank of America, Small Business Division
Expert Advice for Small Business Owners

This month David Solís, National Sales Executive with Bank of America’s Small Business Division, shares expert tips on coming up with a financing strategy that’s right for you!

Q: What’s the general “state of the market” for small business financing – have conditions stabilized, or are lenders still extremely cautious?
A: While the economy remains fragile, both in the U.S. and abroad, it does appear to be stabilizing. Traditional forms of business financing are available to small business owners. Banks are competing with one another aggressively for all good loans. Caution is inevitable given the past few years, but that simply means making reasonable requests of clients, such as open dialogue about their business, the operating history, current and future plans, and up-to-date financial statements.

Q: Lenders have always looked for a sound business plan from aspiring small business owners. But are they scrutinizing some elements more than others these days?
A: A company’s historical performance is critical. A strong repayment history, proper use of credit facilities and a relatively stable financial position all bode well for a business owner seeking capital for new strategies. Lenders want to talk with clients about their plans so they can identify the best instrument, structure, and overall set of solutions to help the business achieve its goals.

Q: In addition to the fundamental business plan information (cash flow projects, marketing plan, etc.), are there any elements or “intangible” aspects that will help a small business proposal make a positive impression?
A: Any lender or investor will always look for as many tangible aspects as possible to ensure a good loan or investment. Intangibles may include a business owner’s background, the strength of their board or management team and, of course, the story. What is the plan, and how convincing is it?

Q: For owners of growing businesses, what factors will give them a leg up if they’re looking for additional capital this year?
A: Positive financial trends, and properly prepared financial statements and organizational information about the company will reduce questions from your lender and speed up the loan process. Small business lenders are looking at assets, liabilities, business and personal net worth, and cash flow coverage ratios.

Q: Are bank loans always the best option for small business financing?
A: Positive financial trends, and properly prepared financial statements and organizational information about the company will reduce questions from your lender and speed up the loan process. Small business lenders are looking at assets, liabilities, business and personal net worth, and cash flow coverage ratios.

Q: For microbusinesses and one-person enterprises, what are some tips for keeping one’s business and personal credit separate?
A: Clearly identify assets and operations associated with the incorporated business versus those under an individual’s name. Establishing a clear payment history under an incorporated name also helps.

Q: Similarly, what are some critical things to know about small business credit?
A: The more time a business owner can take to learn about how to properly leverage credit, the better. Too much or too little credit isn’t optimal, and using the wrong instruments to do certain things isn’t advisable. For example, you would not want to use something that has to be paid off in a very short period – a credit card or traditional line of credit – to purchase a big-ticket item with a long shelf life like a delivery van.

10 traits to have in a Real Estate Business

I have went through a class that explain 10 things that explain some concepts to explore when running or planning to start a business in real estate. Interesting thing is that some of the traits can carry over into other businesses.

1. Think Positively
2. Plan, Plan, Plan
3. Know Your Critical Numbers
4. Manage Your Cash Flow Cycle
5. Keep Marketing
6. Concentrate On Sales
7. Systemize The Business
8. Keep Learning
9. What Gets Measured Gets Done
10. Surround Yourself With Great Advisors

If you would like more information on the traits or for me to expound more please let me know and I can make another blog going into detail about each one directly.

Till then take care and God Bless

Laws To Better Health Part I

Health Care cost has been on the rise as of late. The health system seems to look for ways to medicate the problem instead of helping to find the cure. We at Living Against The River would like to propose some laws that can help bring prevention and also help you body to get rid of diseases and other ailments. For our bodies with an optimal immune system, can protect the body from any pathogens there are in the world.

Therefore I would like to introduce to you all GODS PLAN:

G- Godly Trust

O – Open Air

D – Daily Exercise

S – Sunlight

P – Plenty of Rest

L – Lots Of Water

A – Always Temperate

N – Nutrition

I will spend the next parts of the series explaining each of the the components of GODS PLAN. This is just an introduction. Look out for the other series.

Disclaimer: We are not medical doctors and do not recommend stopping prescription unless told by a physician. The principles is to be used in supplement with what you physician prescribe and once you it take affect, the evidence will come in the check up

Principles of an Entrepreneur

Post from 1000ventures.com
The common principles and practices of all men and women who become millionaires in one generation.

1. Dream Big Dreams – Visualize, imagine and create an exciting picture of personal wealth and prosperity;
2. Develop a Clear Sense of Direction – Learn a powerful, proven goal-setting exercise that can change your life;
3. See Yourself As Self-Employed – Take complete control of your career and your financial life;
4. Do What You Love To Do – Identify the ideal work for you and then get paid well for doing it;
5. Commit to Excellence – Move into the top 10% in your field and be paid more than ever before;
6. Work Longer and Harder – Organize your time so you get more done and contribute more value;
7. Dedicate Yourself to Lifelong Learning – Continually upgrade your talents and abilities to earn more money;
8. Pay Yourself First – The most powerful process of wealth accumulation ever discovered and how you can use it;
9. Learn Every Detail of the Business – Become an expert in your chosen field and double your income;
10. Dedicate Yourself to Serving Others – The starting point of all personal fortunes and how to begin;
11. Be Absolutely Honest With Yourself and Others – Personal integrity goes hand in hand with financial success;
12. Set Priorities and Concentrate Single-mindedly – Focus on your most important tasks all day long;
13. Develop a Reputation for Speed and Dependability – Give yourself the winning edge in everything you do;
14. Be Prepared to Climb From Peak to Peak – Learn how to recognize the cycles and trends that can make you rich;
15. Practice Self-Discipline In All Things – Develop the most important quality for financial success;
16. Unlock Your Inborn Creativity – Learn how to solve any problem, overcome any obstacle, achieve any goal;
17. Get Around The Right People – Surround yourself with winners at each stage of your career;
18. Take Excellent Care of Your Physical Health – How to develop and maintain high levels of energy and fitness;
19. Be Decisive and Action Oriented – How to identify the most important action steps you can take immediately;
20. Never Allow Failure To Be An Option – How to overcome the fears that hold most people back;
21. Pass the “Persistence Test” – Learn how to bounce back from defeat and never, never give up.

I Thought I Had Time

Have you ever had a moment and you wished that you could have it back? Has there been a time when you told yourself that you will always have time? If you answered yes to the preceding questions, then you are not alone. Many people go through life and even to the grave with the sorrow of missed opportunities and regrets. I personally have answered yes to the questions.  There was a time, I wished for a time machine to speak to myself at those particular moments.

One moment that I would visit was in February of 2003. I was a sophomore in college. I felt like I was on top of the world. I had a lot of scholarships that I was able to take care of books and did not have to work. I had my purchased my first car without a car note in October, and I started in a new job as a tutor in the subjects that I loved:  Physics, Math, and Spanish. However this day was not like any other day. I had a strong urge to go home for the weekend. I called my mom to check on things at home and she told me that everything was okay. Therefore I had blew off that notion and stay in Huntsville to save money the money until I start having a steady pay check from my new job. At this moment, I would tell myself to go ahead and take the journey home. It would save me some of the pain I would go through next. I was invited to a sleepover with some friends on the next day which was Friday. We all watched movies and play games until we went to sleep. I had a dream that night that I went to my grandma house and she was in her room sitting on the bed.  What was odd was that she had her head hung down. This is weird because I remember that she would tell me when I was younger that I should never have a reason to keep my head up. So in the dream, I came in the room and said in a joking manner,” Grandma, you can pick your head up and smile because I am here to see you “. She paused and said,”It’s too late”. I woke up and I had kept my dream to myself and had put no further thought to the meaning of it. Two days later, I received a phone call from my mom. She sound distressed and she asked me to come home. I made the journey home and along the way the transmission ran out in my car so my stepdad had to pick up and that is when I was giving the news that my grandma had passed away on Saturday. I was in shock because the same day that she passed was the same day I had the dream. I was in denial until I saw her in the casket. I felt my knees give out, my blood grew cold, and my heart felt like it crawled to my throat. Each step I reflected on how I thought that I always have time, how I would always she her dancing, shouting, and reciting Psalm 23:1, “ The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want”.  Having the opportunity to always say,” Grandma I love you and glad that you are in my life”.   Reflecting on how I had an opportunity to visit with her and see her smile and laugh one last time.

Another moment would be November of 2009. Here I am a father for the first time. After 24.5 hours, my wife gave birth to our son.  I held him and said, “Hey son”. He stopped crying and we looked into each other eyes. I was not sure if it set in who I was but he went from crying to a smile. Flash, I would come in and tell myself,” Take the time to enjoy each and every moment with him. Do not let the other activities make you a robot.” I was there as a father but not really. I loved him but was too busy with life to be an effective father like I wanted. So it was like I placed myself on a schedule and things that he needed became a task instead of a time to bond. I became a robot. I believed after I get some task completed, I would have time to be the father I envisioned myself, the one I wanted when I was a boy.  However he is a baby, I will have at least 18 years to help mold him into the man that will be a blessing to the world. Again I was wrong; I only had 3 months and 1 day. I had checked on him and he seemed like he was doing well.  I had purchased a stock and text everyone I know about it and it went up $5.00 within that hour after buying.  So I went in on a happy note to change my son’s diaper. I laid him on the changing table and he did not move which was odd because he usually wiggle and have the why are you waking me up face (which he get it from his mother). Then I raised his arms and no response. I checked him for breathing, negative. Call 911 and told me to do CPR until the paramedics come.  Paramedics came and I found myself on the phone with my mom (on one ear) and my wife (on the other ear). Everybody wanted to ask me questions at the same time and I am wondering when I am going to wake from this nightmare. At that moment, I felt like I was going to short circuit any moment.  They took him to the hospital and place the family in a small room. Nurse came in and said that he had passed. In the sec, time froze for me. They ask if we would like to view the body, I went with my mom and the hospital’s chaplain. I was thinking about how I did not expect to bury one of my children. Failure began to set in my mind as well, 0-1. Unfortunately, I did not have as much time with him as I thought I did. The father and son plans I had for him were null and void on that day.

In both experiences, I have learned the importance of not only looking forward to the destination but enjoying the journey along the way to the destination as well. We all have plans and goals, but I encourage you to learn from my folly and plan to enjoy each every day. Sometimes we can be so focus on the destination that we miss the scenery along the way. So please do not time for granted for we do not know how much is given to each one of us. Therefore, take time to tell those around you how you feel because you never know if it will be your last opportunity.

I remember a story where there was a woman and Death was at her door. The lady began to cry and say that she was not ready to go. Death then told her that he was just passing through the neighborhood because her neighbor was ill and it was his time. However he told her that he will come back for her one day. She asked Death for a warning when he is coming back to get her. He agreed to her request and left her door. Years went by since her encounter with Death, but He came to her door yet again. The lady opened the door and said,” Oh Hi, Death are you passing through the neighborhood again. He answered with a yes. She asked so who is it this time that you have come to take with you. Death pointed his finger at her and said, “You”. The lady fell on her knees and cried profusely. She said, “You lied to me. You told me that you were going to give me a warning when you are coming back to get me”.  Death replied, “I did. Remember when you started losing your eye sight that was one of my warnings. Remember when your hair turned from black to grey that was another one of my warnings. Remember when you noticed you could not move around like you have in the past, it was yet another one of my warnings”. After Death’s explanation, the lady became sorrowful and reflected on things she had put aside because she thought she had time. Things like spending more time at work gaining overtime than investing in her daughters in the most crucial years of their lives, the many times she put off family gatherings due to her busy schedule, missing her son’s basketball games due to her busy schedule, reflected on all the times she did not take the opportunity to enjoy the gifts that God has given her. Every day is gift that is reason I believe it is called “The Present”. For the past is gone and the future is not always promised, the present is the only thing that is within your grasp, so savor each and every one. If it means anything I want to say I love you and May God Bless You