Archive for October, 2011

Do Sprouted Grains Contain Gluten?

Published October 31, 2011 Nutrition Diva 3 Comments

by Nutrition Diva

The Nutrition Diva Q. I know several people with gluten intolerance who can eat products made with sprouted grains with no digestive problems. Therefore, we suspect that the “poison” in gluten is eliminated in the sprouting process and that the grain is essentially transformed into a vegetable. What is your opinion on this?

A. Gluten is not a poison; it’s a protein of which some people are intolerant. Either way, however, it is not eliminated by sprouting. People who are truly gluten intolerant (such as those with celiac disease) should not consume sprouted grains or products made from them–unless, course, the grains were gluten-free to start out with.

See also: What can gluten-free diets do for the rest of us?

As for whether the process of sprouting turns a grain into a vegetable, it really depends on how you define your terms. Continue reading ‘Do Sprouted Grains Contain Gluten?’

How to Correct Mistakes? (Hint: With Ice Cream, Not Cottage Cheese)

Published October 28, 2011 Dog Trainer 2 Comments
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By The Dog Trainer

The Dog TrainerAn October 16 article in the New York Times explained how one smart CEO handles big mistakes by his employees. Dan Schneider doesn’t berate, he doesn’t scream, he doesn’t even reprimand. Instead, he has the mistake maker throw the staff an ice cream party. “I don’t really yell anymore because it accomplishes nothing,” he says.

No yelling, just ice cream. Photo by LotusHead, Wikimedia Commons

Now, there’s some evidence that drawing attention to a mistake makes your learner more likely to repeat it. But usually when you make a big fat mistake on the job, you are well aware already! No attention need be drawn. Schneider’s response is brilliant. He imposes a cost (ice cream isn’t cheap), but that cost doesn’t involve fear. In a workplace with a collegial atmosphere, I’m willing to bet it’s not humiliating either. And the experience of sharing pleasure at the ice cream party could encourage staff to respond to errors not by trying to hide them but by trying to fix them.

It’s very similar with dogs…

Continue reading ‘How to Correct Mistakes? (Hint: With Ice Cream, Not Cottage Cheese)’

How Does Brining Affect the Sodium Content of Meat?

Published October 28, 2011 Nutrition Diva 1 Comment
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by Nutrition Diva

The Nutrition Diva

Brining will make your turkey tender and juicy but how much sodium does it add? (image provided by Microsoft)

Q. How much sodium does brining a turkey add to the final product once it’s cooked? I can taste the salt even though I rinse my bird well after removing it from the brining solution.

A.   When you soak meat  in a brining solution, salt (and sugar, if your brine includes it) is absorbed into the meat.  Precisely how much sodium ends up in the cooked meat depends on how concentrated your brining solution is, how long you soak the meat, and how much surface area is exposed. Continue reading ‘How Does Brining Affect the Sodium Content of Meat?’

How to Find Reliable Medical Information on the Web

Published October 27, 2011 House Call Doctor 4 Comments

House Call Doctorby House Call Doctor

I was just speaking to Tech Talker, the latest addition to the Quick and Dirty Tips team, about how much medical information there is on the web. I hear this more and more in my practice:

“I had some abdominal pain, so I Googled it last night, and it said I have cancer, Doc!”

Before you self medicate, make sure your source isn't bogus (via e-MagineArt.com/Flickr)

To avoid this kind of panic, read my 5 tips for finding reliable medical information on the web:

Tip #1: Avoid “.com” Websites

These tend to come from less reliable and unverified sources. They also often have advertisements and their goal is to make money off of the reader who may click on an ad. Instead, opt for websites that end in “.org” or “.gov” for your health information. Here’s a list of websites that I recommend to my patients as a more reliable source of medical information:

Family Doctor       Medline Plus     CDC     Healthfinder     WHO

National Institutes of Health     National Library of Medicine

Tip #2: Find the Source Continue reading ‘How to Find Reliable Medical Information on the Web’

Nutrition Diva Interview on NPR

Published October 27, 2011 Nutrition Diva 1 Comment
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The Nutrition DivaNutrition Diva joined Maryland Morning recently for a chat about the American obsession with dieting.

Is there such a thing as an unhealthy fascination with health?

Listen to find out.

How to Clean Your Desk

Published October 26, 2011 Get-It-Done Guy Leave a Comment
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By Get-It-Done Guy

Get-It-Done GuyDesktops are the worst. I’ve noticed that my desktops all gravitate to a certain level of chaos. They start off clean, get cluttered very quickly, but then maintain about the same level of chaos going forward.

Some jobs have "clean desk" policies (via dblancquaert/Flickr)

Here’s what happens: The desk starts pristine and beautiful. Then something happens. Maybe some mail arrives, or I need to find a citation in my collection of extremely rare Marilyn Monroe/Bugs Bunny romance novels. I put the stuff on the desktop until I deal with them.

The solution?  A tickler file!

Continue reading ‘How to Clean Your Desk’

Grocery Store Etiquette

Published October 26, 2011 Modern Manners Guy 2 Comments
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The Modern Manners Guyby Modern Manners Guy

What can be more American than a good ol’ fashioned grocery store?  However, no matter how nice the amenities, sometimes it’s the patrons that will ruin the visit. So, here are my top 3 Quick and Dirty Tips for happy shopping:

Tip #1 – It’s Not NASCAR

I love my local, friendly grocery store. But unfortunately, it was turning into a NASCAR track! Carts carelessly whip around the aisles, at unheard of speeds.  While grocery shopping, don’t rush.  There’s no need to make it an all day trip, but you’d be

Grocery Store Etiquette

Do you have proper grocery store etiquette? Photo courtesy of Getty Images

amazed at how relaxing it can be if you took your time.  Also, drop the cell phone. If you have one hand on your phone, how can you maneuver the cart? Try a headset, if you are taking calls.

Tip #2 – Over the Limit?

This is a great concept that works if you follow the directions. Which is easy — only bring in the limit of food that the line says. Done! If you have more, step out of line and join the regular one.

Continue reading ‘Grocery Store Etiquette’

Why Is There an Apostrophe in “Hallowe’en”?

Published October 26, 2011 Grammar Girl 7 Comments
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by Grammar Girl

Grammar Girl Allegra Young asked, “What’s your take on the apostrophe in ‘Hallowe’en’? To use or not to use?”

via Cayuse/Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0

One early spelling of Halloween was all hallows’ even, in which even meant “evening.” The all and s got dropped, hallows’ and even became a closed compound, and the apostrophe took the place of the v, giving us Hallowe’en—just one of many transitional spellings along the way to Halloween, which the Oxford English Dictionary shows as first appearing in 1786. Other spellings before Halloween included Hallow-e’en, Alhollon Eue, and Halhalon evyn.

You can certainly use Hallowe’en if you want an 18th-century feel for your party invitations or decorations. Continue reading ‘Why Is There an Apostrophe in “Hallowe’en”?’

13 Qs to Consider When Making a Will

Published October 25, 2011 Legal Lad 1 Comment
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By Legal Lad

You need to take all of these questions into account before you start work on your last will and testament:

  1. Who would I like to represent me and my estate after I die?
  2. Who are all the people I want to take under my will?
  3. Who are the people I do not want to take under my will?
  4. Are there any organizations or charities I would like to provide for?
  5. Exactly how much property do I have now?
  6. How much property am I likely to have when I die?
  7. Exactly what property do I want to go to each person?
  8. Who do I want to get the “residue” of my estate? That is, where should all the property that I did not specifically account for go?
  9. Do I have any retirement accounts that I need to deal with?
  10. Do I have a life insurance policy I need to account for?
  11. How would I like my body taken care of? Buried? Cremated?
  12. Who would I like to make health care decisions for me if I am ever unable to make them for myself?
  13. Are there personal messages I would like to leave for loved ones along with my will?

Once you have all of these in your head, you might want to consult with an estate lawyer who specializing in making sure your will is solid.

(via adpowers/Flickr)

How Do You Make “RBI” Plural?

Published October 25, 2011 Grammar Girl 24 Comments
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By Grammar Girl

Grammar Girl The World Series has fans asking how to make an abbreviation such as RBI plural. It can be confusing, since it’s the R-part (run) that is becoming plural. Should it be RsBI or RBIs or something else?

Even though it doesn’t make absolute logical sense, you make initialisms and acronyms plural by adding an s to the end no matter what part would be plural if you wrote the whole thing out: even though it would be runs batted in, you write it RBIs.

Can You Ever Use an Apostrophe?

In the past, some publications used apostrophes to make acronyms and abbreviations plural, so until a few years ago, it was common to see something like RBI’s or CD’s in the New York Times. Currently, all major publications and style guides I’m aware of recommend simply adding an s (without an apostrophe).

When Do You Use Periods? Continue reading ‘How Do You Make “RBI” Plural?’

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